Ryan Huntley is the man chosen to be the on-court leader of Brighton Bears' British League title defence.

The 27-year-old former Chester Jets and Scottish Rocks star will be Bears' point guard in the new season.

That means he will fill the playmaker's role left by Randy Duck, who retired earlier this summer.

Like Duck, Huntley is from Texas, has played in mainland Europe and has tormented Bears in the past. But that, insists Bears coach Nick Nurse, is where the similarity ends.

Nurse said: "They are nowhere near the same type of player.

"Ryan's a good team player. I like him a lot. He's going to run the team. He thinks team first and he moves the ball well but I'm going to look to him to score more and he is relishing that.

"He has been a 12-point-per-game man but we will need more than that. We will need 16-20.

"Ryan is as good as anybody in the league. His stats might not show that but I know coaches around the league would agree."

Huntley, 6ft 4in, had a spell in Switzerland after graduating from Tarleton State University, where he won all-Conference honours.

It was at his two previous British League clubs, though, that he made an impact on Nurse.

Three times he has come up against Brighton in high-profile games in the past 16 months and, on each occasion, he has finished on the winning side.

In total, he played 32 times for Chester last season, averaging 35 minutes, 12 points and four rebounds per game.

Huntley fills one of two places available for non-EU players in the FIBA Europe League. He also takes one of three possible slots for players requiring a work permit under British League regulations.

With Huntley, Yorick Williams, Steve Gayle and Colin Tabb on board, Bears are well served in the back court and attention will now switch to their need for big men.

Meanwhile, Gaylon Moore is set to return for a fifth season with Worthing Thunder but the EBL outfit, who will again be coached by Gary Smith, have yet to complete a deal for a second American.

English prospect David Butterworth is poised to re-sign.