Solent Stars have appointed Alan Cunningham and Steve Chant to coach the men's first team in Division 1 of the National Basketball League next season.

Cunningham led Solent Stars to glory in the 1997/98 and 1998/1999 seasons when, with him as as player coach, the team won Division 2 and then Division 1.

Having made his coaching debut with Worthing Bears in 1992, 'Swoop' Cunningham led the coaching charts almost a decade later with an 80 per cent success rate.

Over a long and distinguished playing career he also had spells with London Towers, Kingston, Glasgow, Portsmouth, Brighton, Doncaster and Anderlecht (Belgium).

Cunningham has won just about every national playing honour possible since he moved to England after basketball spells with the Harlem Globetrotters and being drafted by Philadelphia in the American NBA.

Looking forward to the challenge of the job of coach (as opposed to player-coach), he insists that his team will be fit.

"Solent lost too many close games last season, and underperformed, because they lacked the fitness level necessary in Division 1," said Cunningham. "With our new association as a Basketball Academy with Southampton Institute, the players will be able to avail themselves of excellent fitness facilities, and will have no excuses not to be fully fit for the season ahead."

Chant's role will be akin to that of a co-coach, taking practice sessions when Cunningham's work takes him away from the area during the week, and having an important role in tactical strategies.

A PE teacher at Toynbee School, Chant's appointment is evidence of the developmental nature of the Stars club. Originally in the Stars' junior playing programme from under-15 to under-19 level, he has gone on to play and study under a variety of well-known and respected coaches on the national scene.

Chant played for English Universities before having two successful seasons, under Mick Byrne, with Solent Stars at the beginning of the 1990s.

Since turning to coaching, he has won honours at local and national level including reaching last season's National Cadet men's final, with a season record of 17-5 win/loss. He is an England Basketball advanced coach award holder.

Both coaches are now actively reviewing video tapes and other details of overseas players to prepare for this season's Division 1 and National Trophy programme.

Solent begin pre-season training in mid-August prior to their first match on September 4 (Fleming Park) against Reading Rockets in the annual Southern Challenge Cup tournament.