11/01/07 Solent Stars have signed (or re-signed) Nick O'Harabe. Nick previously played for the club during the 2001/2 season, the last time the club reached the playoff finals, before leaving to play for Worthing for a season. He then returned to Solent in 2003/4 when Solent where coached by Alan Cunningham and Steve Chant until a dressing room incident lead to him being suspended by the club. O' Harabe has been training with the team for most of this season and whilst working on his own game has been trying to help some of the younger members of the team to improve thier game. This has lead to the suspension being lifted allowing Nick to re-sign for the club. There is no doubting O'Harabe's skill on court and his passion to win which is something that Solent really need at the moment. Such effort could be enough to tip the balance Solent's way in some of their close finishes. Coach Kerry Kirby said " Everyone has told me about Nick's checkered past but he has been good in training since I arrived and I know with his strength and ability he can help us, so I'm willing to give him a try". 10/09/06 Kerry Kirby, Solent Stars new coach, will not be arriving alone in the country on September 13th. He will be bringing with him Earl Moore, who he has recruited from the Birmingham (Alabama) Pro-Am Summer League. Moore also toured China with Kirby in the three month Goodwill Tour of China where, against top rated Chinese teams, he averaged 26 points, 10 rebounds and 7 assists per game. In one game, Moore scored 51 points and he achieved double figures in point scoring in every game. Earl D. Moore is in his early 20's, is 6' 3" and weighs 195lbs. Moore attended college at Feather River College in Quincy, California, where he achieved the status of leading point scorer in the state of California. His successful college career led him to being recruited to the Nebraska Cranes in the United States Basketball League. He left the Cranes to represent the USA in the china tour last year. Moore describes himself as "a playing point guard, shooting guard, or small forward." Solent Stars owner, Bob Paulley, is particularly interested in the fact that Earl Moore has planned and implemented many basketball ctivities for school-aged children. This will accord with Solent's drive to become a community based club by increasing their presence from the start that has been made over the recent seasons through the work of previous American players. 24/08/06 SOLENT STARS APPOINT AMERICAN COACH The owner of Solent Stars Basketball club, local businessman Bob Paulley, has played a major part in securing the services of American coach, Kerry Kirby. Paulley has had to spend a couple of years away from the frontline decision making of the club but is now determined that Solent Stars will be a force to be reckoned with over the coming season. “We owe it to our loyal fans to be a competitive team in the coming season. Our last few seasons have not been successful, but we need to put that behind us now and look to the future,” said Paulley, “I have put a lot of time and effort into looking at what will be best for the club.” Kerry Kirby (42) comes to the club with a successful coaching CV that has included spells with colleges in California, Florida and Alabama. Summer work has included the Boston Premiere Free Agent League, which has put him in direct contact with many upcoming professional players. Recently Kirby coached on a Pro Goodwill tour to China in a team comprising American Basketball Association players, top college players and two former NBA stars. His team won eleven out of the fifteen games played against strong opposition, including the Chinese U21 team. As well as coaching the first team men, Kirby is looking forward to a development role within the club. “I am real excited about being named the new head coach for the Solent Stars,” Kirby stated on the telephone. “I know it will be a big challenge, but I feel confident that we will have a real competitive team that will be entertaining and be a contender in this league. I think it starts with working hard to develop the local talent that is within the area and bring in solid foreign players.” With his work permit now acquired, Kirby should be in the country at the beginning of September which will give him about a month to put together a team for the top league in English basketball.
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