SOLENT STARS 57 - COVENTRY CRUSADERS 64

In front of their biggest crowd of the season, Coventry - a bigger and heavier team than the hosts - made it count at Fleming Park on Saturday night.

Coventry's opening points came from inside play where 6ft 6in American Troy Selvey brushed aside the Solent defence to make his way to the basket.

Coventry also dominated the backboards, giving Solent scant opportunity to gain possession.

Only Marlin Capers' three successful consecutive three-pointers kept Solent in touch in the first period.

Solent's only other scorers in the first period were newcomer Graham Hunter and Phil Long.

In the second period, the home crowd had little to cheer as Solent fell to a 12-point deficit before Mark Jackson's three-pointer gave a glimmer of hope.

Coventry responded in kind and opened a 14-point gap at half-time.

It was Jackson who raised the spirits with a last second successful shot from the halfway line in the third period but, despite a sprited fightback and getting to within three points of the lead in the final quarter, Coventry held on.

SCORERS: Marlin Capers 24, Mark Jackson 14, Nick Oharabe 6, Phil Long 6, Ollie Marsh 3, Graham Hunter 2 Ryan Payne 2.

SOLENT STARS 64 - READING ROCKETS 73

Solent Stars were knocked out of the National Cup in their third-round with Reading at Fleming Park yesterday.

The teams were still level at the end of the first period and, despite a good opening to the second, with three pointers from Mark Jackson and Graham Hunter, Solent lost their fluency.

Coach Alan Cunningham switched players regularly to find the most effective combination, but basic errors of ball handling thwarted his efforts.

But Reading were also prone to errors and Solent still had the lead at half-time.

After opening well in the third quarter with three points from Phil Long and two from Marlin Capers, Solent led 39-35 in the second minute.

But it was the eight minute before they could score again, during which time Reading added 14 points before Richard Wellings scored eight points in two minutes to seal Solent's fate.

Solent next play Kingston Wildcats at Fleming Park on October 30 at 8pm.

SCORERS: Marlin Capers 26 Mark Jackson 8 Phil Long 7 Graham Hunter 6 Ollie Marsh 5 Paul Silcox 4 Nick OHarabe 4 Chris St Omer 4

SOLENT STARS 96- EAST KENT CRUSADERS 87

Stars' men's second team continued their winning ways in this exciting Division Three encounter on Saturday.

In the first quarter Andy Aung, Ryan Payne and Clayton Milner were the main scorers, but East Kent hit back when they scored seven quick points.

Despite a three-pointer from Trevor Donaldson, Solent trailed 39-31 in the fifth minute.

A series of successful Solent free throws helped Solent reduce the deficit to just four points at half-time.

And coach Mick Byrne' senior players in the second half then responded by overhauling East Kent in a three-minute period, scoring 14 unanswered points to lead 70-65 in the last minute of the third period.

SCORERS: Andy Aung 26, Clayton Milner 23, Ryan Payne 18, Trevor Donaldson 9, Chris Glover 5.