ALAN CUNNINGHAM has only been thrown out of a basketball game three times in a distinguished career spanning more than 30 years.

But on Saturday, the Solent Stars player was on court for barely 83 seconds before he was ejected from the NBL Conference game with the Coventry Crusaders.

"That is the quickest I've ever been thrown out of a game," admitted an angry Cunningham afterwards.

"I was ejected once as a player for fighting, and then another time as a coach at Solent, but with this one I am not happy with the referee's decision."

The 46-year-old centre had been sat on the bench at the Fleming Park Sports Centre for the entire first half witnessing an uninspired and lukewarm performance from his team-mates.

Keen to protect an Achilles and groin injury, it wasn't until with three minutes and 13 seconds left of the third quarter that he came into the game.

By the time the scoreboard read one minute 50 seconds remaining, Cunningham was on his way back to the changing room.

Cunningham claimed he was pushed by Coventry's Matt Collins as he went for a rebound from Nic O'Harabe's shot.

"He shoved me in the back and I flew out of bounds," said Cunningham. "The referee should have seen the incident. I jumped up, went over to the guy and he took a dive. I stood over him and told him 'Don't be doing that stuff'."

Cunningham was adamant he didn't push Collins, who at 5ft 11in tall was towered over by the huge 6ft 7in frame of the American.

But the referee deemed Cunningham's behaviour and finger-wagging at the prone Collins as threatening, and ejected the Solent Star from the court.

"I really didn't think there would be any call," added Cunningham. "I was fouled to start with and the guy was play-acting."

The incident sparked life into a game which was dying on its feet as Solent survived in slumberland.

Trailing 41-39 at half-time, they allowed Coventry to slow the tempo of the game, and were guilty of committing too many mistakes.

Cunningham's ejection, and with Collins cast in the role of arch-villain, booed every time he touched the ball, the scene was set for Solent to fight.

Inspired by John Bynum, the hosts began racking up the points so that by the end of the third quarter they led 67-55.

O'Harabe, who has had an indifferent season, enjoyed one of his best games to date with an impressive 21 points, sharing the top-scoring honours with Marlin Capers, who hit foul trouble towards the end of the fourth quarter and sat out the final couple of minutes.

It was Bynum's sharp play inside the Coventry zone which opened up a lead. He was unstoppable, twisting and turning with a series of breathtaking lay-ups to ease the hosts to victory.

"We were rubbish," said coach Mark Scott later. "We didn't play with any heart. We should not be playing down to a team like Coventry. I am worried, I am really worried."

Victory at least continued Solent's quest for third place in the Conference with one game to play.

The south coast team will get home court advantage for the first leg of the play-offs on April 20 against either Manchester, Worthing or Kingston.