Solent Kestrels

The club was founded in 1998 by Jimmie and Bev Guymon, who wanted somewhere for their son and other youngsters in the area to play competitive basketball. Originally set up to offer junior basketball to boys teams from under-13's to under-18's, the club offers junior basketball to boys and girls from under-10 up to under-18 National League level.[1] The girls program was introduced in 2001, an initiative of Ollie Jerram and Bev Guymon, giving Ollie's daughter the opportunity to play with other girls, as mixed basketball was not allowed after the age of 15. In their first season, the team won the U16 National title.

The club is partnered with Itchen College, with whom they offer elite level, under-19 basketball development to some of the county's top male and female players.[2]

The Kestrels, currently in partnership with Solent University, offers senior basketball with four teams playing at National League level.

The men's senior team, established in 2012, are the current National Basketball League League and Playoffs champions, the second tier of British men's basketball.[3] In 2020, the Kestrels became the first-ever NBL team to reach the semi-finals of a top-tier British Basketball League competition, the BBL Trophy, and eventually finished as runners-up, losing to the Newcastle Eagles 96-94 after overtime in the final.[4][5][6][7]

Note: Flags indicate national team, as has been defined under FIBA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIBA nationality.

No. Position Player 0 PG Ian Smith 4 SF Orlan Jackman 6 G Elias Poorman 7 G Elliot Dadds 8 G Brendan Okoronkwo 9 G Luke Gosney 10 G Andre Arissol 11 G Luke Busumbru 13 PG Chris Scarlett 15 F Johnathan Lashley 21 F Travis Charles

• Joel Freeland
• Will Neighbour