New 76ers coach Randy Ayers moved closer to completing his staff of assistants yesterday with the addition of ex-NBA player and coach Chris Ford and Ayers prot?g? Chris Jent.

Ford, 54, a native of Atlantic City who played at Villanova before going on to help the Boston Celtics win three championships as a player and assistant coach, will be a bench coach under Ayers. Ford has been a head coach for three teams in the league.

Jent, 33, has been named assistant coach/player development coach. His main job will be to work with individual players during the season as well as in the off-season. Jent, who played for Ayers at Ohio State, had a three-year NBA career and was with the Houston Rockets when they won the title in 1993-94.

Ayers is expecting to name another assistant next week.

"I'm happy to have Chris Ford with us," Ayers said yesterday after the first session of the Sixers' summer camp. "I've watched his teams over the years, and I've respected him as a coach, and certainly as a player. He knows what it's like to win the last game of the season, and he did it three times. I'm happy to have his experience with us. Chris Jent was a joy to coach, and he has a great work ethic."