ALAN Cunningham must serve an automatic one-match ban after being dismissed for two quickfire technical fouls at London Leopards last weekend.

Yet for the life of him the Solent Stars player-coach cannot comprehend why he must sit out tonight's National Basketball League Division 1 clash with Westminster Warriors at Fleming Park (8pm) - three days before the hearing!

"It seems ridiculous to get a one-match ban before the case has even been heard," said the big American. "But I'll still be attending the hearing because I want them to know what kind of guy the referee is."

The ref in question, Sheffield-based American Steve Gottlieb, has been a thorn in Solent's side throughout the Uni-ball campaign and twice the club have alluded to his on-court "arrogance" in their official referees' reports.

"All I did was ask the guy two simple questions," said Cunningham. "I didn't swear at him or abuse him yet he accused me of ranting and raving and threw me out of the gym for dissent.

"I've only ever been sent from the gym once before for fighting last season and, fair enough, I deserved that. This time I was innocent but the guy had obviously made up his mind to punish me whatever I said."

Gottlieb's report on the incident accused Cunningham of yelling, sarcasm and being demonstrative in his gestures in response to a foul called on Solent's Toby Tripolin, but Cunningham insisted: "When I apologised to the players for getting thrown out of the game they said there was no need to say sorry because they could see I'd done nothing wrong."

Solent's pre-occupation with the Uni-ball competition has left them next to bottom of the NBL Division 1, just ahead of tonight's opponents Westminster.

"We've suffered a lot because of our Uni-ball involvement, not only in terms of injuries and tiredness but because we've fallen behind with our league programme," said Cunningham, who will be banished to the stands tonight.

Stars' reward for their dramatic National Trophy win over Coventry Crusaders is an awesome November 28 semi-final trip to Division 1 leaders Teesside Mohawks, the side that dumped them out of the play-offs last season.

Converted for the new archive on 25 January 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.