PAWS LONDON CAPITALS 95 (19, 49, 69) - SOLENT STARS 82 (16, 36, 55)

SOLENT STARS s' hopes of reaching the English Basketball Division 1 play-offs have all but evaporated following a poor display at the new Capital City Academy in London.

Having played so well at various stages of the season, the team disappointed on this vital occasion and slumped to a 95-82 defeat.

Needing to win by at least ten points against a team that had beaten them earlier in the season, Solent briefly took an early lead when Phil Long sank their second basket in a scrappy opening to the game.

But it took until the eighth minute for either of Solent's American players, Marlin Capers and Larry Parker, to find the target and by then the visitors were trailing 17-8.

Mark Jackson's first three-pointer brought a bit of relief for Solent as they closed the quarter just three points in arrears and that was still the case, 27-24, in the sixth minute of the second phase.

Worryingly though, all but two of Solent's points had come from the free-throw line and what happened next effectively sealed their fate as they conceded eight crucial points without getting the ball out of their half.

With London looking sharper and hungrier, Solent were forced into several handling errors and scored just four field baskets in the quarter to go 49-36 down at half-time.

In contrast all of Solent's third-quarter points came from open play, including a hat-trick of three-pointers from Parker.

Capers (6) and Jackson (2) were Solent's only other scorers as they struggled to get back in the game. Steve Chant, who was given the main coaching role, was limited in his choices because Paul Silcox was suffering the after-effects of a heavy cold.

A determined rally by Solent brought them to within nine points of the London total with just under four minutes remaining as Graham Hunter sank a three-pointer.

But then calamity struck when a mad scramble under the London basket resulted in Capers falling to the ground, hitting his head on the surface and bleeding profusely from a cut under his eye.

The game was halted for several minutes and Capers was eventually ferried off to hospital.

Further determined efforts brought Solent to within eight points of the London total, but they were forced to foul in an attempt to gain possession.

The London side scored from all ten visits to the free-throw line. Solent, in contrast, had missed ten of their 28 free throws in a disappointing game.

SOLENT SCORERS: Larry Parker 29, Marlin Capers 19, Mark Jackson 13, Ollie Marsh 7, Graham Hunter 5, Paul Silcox 5, Chris St Omer 2, Phil Long 2.