Former Brighton Bears favourite Sterling Davis has signed for one of their main British League rivals.

The 6ft 7in forward, who spent much of last winter under contract with German strugglers Giessen, has put pen to paper with Sheffield Sharks.

Davis came to Brighton almost three years ago and was voted Bears player-of-the-year in each of his two winters on the south coast.

Planned moves to mainland Europe last summer fell through and he was cut by London Towers less than a fortnight into the BBL season.

He later found himself out of favour in the Bundesliga and returned to live in Brighton, spending several weeks training with Bears.

Nick Nurse, the Bears owner and head coach, held preliminary transfer talks with his former all-star at the end of last season.

However, with Bears able to field only two import players in the FIBA Euro League, the chances of the move being finalised were reduced.

Kendrick Warren is likely to fill one of the non-EU slots in Nurse's line-up for the coming season and he would be expected to add a back court man from the United States.

Davis plans to move from Brighton to south Yorkshire in time for pre-season training in September.

Sheffield won both the play-offs and BBL Cup last season but finished a distant second in the league to Bears, who won all four meetings between the teams.

Other than the return of Yorick Williams, Nurse has revealed nothing about his team-building plans but is believed to be in talks with an American point guard in case Randy Duck decides not to return for a fourth season.

Nurse said: "When these things happen they tend to happen pretty quickly. I've got any number of things cooking and it's a matter of waiting and playing the market."

Bears are helping organise the European Championships for under-16s, Division B of which is being staged at The Triangle from August 6-15 and features ten nations, including England.

The club have pencilled in an international tournament at home and a trip to Gravelines in France for pre-season and have confirmed they will meet Le Havre in Cherbourg on September 16.