Chris Bunten has landed the first Molten WBBL Coach of the Month gong of the 2015-16 season.

The play-caller has carried Team Northumbria to an unbeaten start in a sparkling run, which has witnessed his side wrap up a place in the Semi-Finals of the WBBL Trophy.

Currently in his second season at the helm, Bunten has ensured the North-East side have lived up to their billing as one of the frontrunners for silverware after an electric opening.

The accolade, which also incorporates the latter half of October when the campaign started, has been handed to Bunten after he masterminded five fabulous wins in as many games.

Team Northumbria gave an early glimpse of their potential to challenge for honours at WBBL Opening Weekend when they proved too strong for Brixton Topcats and recorded a 64-41 success.

It was a triumph followed up in their first home game, as they worked hard to take down a resilient Manchester Mystics 71-59.

After then tearing past Cardiff Met Archers 96-71 on the road, they attained arguably their best victory of the campaign so far. They pipped Westfield Health Sheffield Hatters 73-68 at Sport Central in a superb advert for the WBBL – becoming the first team to defeat last season’s treble winners in 12 months.

Putting the finishing touches to a positive and flawless opening, Bunten signed off November by presiding over a one-sided 75-32 victory at Leicester Riders last weekend, as Team Northumbria soared one step closer to a potential first ever berth in a showpiece WBBL Final.