SLOW-STARTING Solent Stars never fully recovered from a poor first quarter as they slumped to yet another NBL Conference defeat 102-77 at Sutton Pumas on Saturday night.

Coach Mark Scott branded it "a particularly disappointing performance" from his bottom-of-the-table side and said: "We have played well recently and closely contested games, but tonight we did not play as a team.

"The players have got to think more about team play and not get caught up in the pace of the game and lose their team play discipline. The last quarter showed what we could do, but by then it was too late."

Unable to shoot successfully themselves in the opening stages, stuttering Stars were caught time and time again by the fast-breaking Pumas who roared 10-0 up inside three minutes

Star American Chris Harper eventually joined the game in the eighth minute having had trouble finding the venue, but he made little immediate impact since he was still struggling with the after-effects of flu which had stopped him training in midweek.

Mark Scott's nine-point contribution was the sole highlight of Solent's first quarter, but the picture brightened briefly in the second when Sutton, having gone 40-22 up, threw on some of their less experienced players.

Shot-shy Solent mustered only five field baskets in the third quarter as Sutton piled on the pressure. To their credit, though, a determined late effort reaped dividends in the final quarter with three-pointers from Toby Tripalin (2) and Duane Laight - plus a six-point contribution from Chris St. Omer, who had particular success in guarding the physical Roger Lloyd.

Solent's next match is at Manchester Magic on January 7. After that they launch into a run of six home games, starting with Worthing Thunder at Fleming Park on January 13 (8pm).

Solent scorers: Toby Tripalin 27, Mark Scott 19, Chris Harper 18, Chris St. Omer 6, Duane Laight 5, Chris Sheldrick 2.