Solent Stars will have a brand new look about them when they take to the court for tonight's pre-season game against fellow NBL Conference opponents, Oxford Devils, at Fleming Park (tonight, 8pm).
Only Alan McDonald and Chris St Omer return from last season's squad as the club forge ahead with their policy of an all-English line-up.
Trevor Donaldson, another survivor from last term, is out injured for a month and the same goes for trialist Simon Taylor, Colchester Alliance's top scorer in Division 2 last season, who hurt himself in training.
Good news for the club's future is the presence of several former under-20 players, including Adam Willis, Anthony Rutter, Ollie Rutter, Rob McDonald and Mike Peel.
Newcomer Chris Glover, 23, trained with the squad last season while studying at Southampton University and John Neale returns to Solent from Nottingham University, where he was basketball captain for his final two seasons.
Some much-needed height is provided by local lad Simon Butterworth from Thames Valley Tigers, who has a strong inside game.
Experience will hopefully come from Basketball League player Mark Jackson, who Solent are anxious to re-sign after his time with Brighton Bears, while the coaching team of Mark Scott and Steve Fitzsimons are still looking for a couple of players to give the squad a more competitive edge prior to the start of the National Trophy competition next Saturday at Sutton Pumas (September 14).
Looking forward to tonight, coach Mark Scott said: "Oxford are a well organised unit who will give us a very hard game. We need to find out which players can handle the pressure situations before we commit to signing them."
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereComments are closed on this article