Mark Jackson insists he is happy to have swapped the BBL bench for serious minutes in the NBL Conference.

Quite what that has done for his game will be in evidence tonight as he masterminds Solent Stars' attempt to hand Worthing Thunder a second successive defeat.

Thunder were edged out 63-61 at Plymouth last Saturday, their first defeat since Solent beat them at Fleming Park just before Christmas.

Away from home, Stars have won just once in 11 games this season, and that against hapless Coventry, but Jackson tips them to end that sequence when they visit Worthing tonight (8pm).

The 26-year-old point guard, released by Brighton Bears last summer, is playing 40 minutes a game for his home town team and admits the only thing he misses from top flight basketball is daily training.

He said: "I'm loving playing the whole game. I'm doing a lot of coaching as well so I am pretty busy but I just wish we could practise more than twice a week.

"I'm averaging 20-plus points and leading the league in assists but I still feel I can do better.

"There are times when I miss Brighton. I speak to Wil (Johnson) and Errol (Seaman) and look at their results.

"With Randy (Duck) hurt I would have been playing more if I was still there but I'm glad for them and the success they have been having.

"I watched the cup final on TV and it was great when Nick (Nurse) went up the steps into the fans at the end."

Like Durrington, Fleming Park has had a spell as the power base of the British game in the past and the former Bears and Thames Valley man insists Solent could get back into the BBL if they got their act together.

He said: "We've got the seating, lights for TV and we've got the interest if we are doing well but need we to get the stands filled more often."

As well as Jackson, Mark Vingoe could also be in for a return to Sussex, having been a popular member of the Thunder bench last season.

Worthing's in-form forward Nick O'Harabe also faces his former club.

Thunder coach Gary Smith is aware of the danger coming from Hampshire tonight but is convinced his men can see off the Stars if they repeat the form they showed in last week's unlucky loss.

Smith said: "We were up nearly all the way through but some calls did not go our way towards the end and we missed some easy buckets.

"I thought we played well, especially at the defensive end. We tend to let in about 90 points per game and they score about 95 on average but we kept them down to 30 in one half.

"We need to keep that going. Solent are playing well as a team and they have good shooters, like Mark Jackson, so we need to be on top of our game."

Howard Jackson is Stars' big threat inside. He hit 29 points in last week's exciting 117-105 defeat by Teesside with former Thames Valley man David Butterworth adding 26 and Mark Jackson 21.

Worthing Magic return to action with two games this weekend.

Tonight they take to the Worthing court ahead of Thunder with a 5.45pm tip against Brixton, followed by a trip to Swindon tomorrow.

Magic, who lost at home to Plymouth a fortnight ago, are likely to be without leading scorer Kirsty Dallas for both games, due to injury.