Rico Alderson is ready to give Brighton Bears a major boost by jetting in for another season.

Alderson, the hugely popular forward from Tennessee, has signed for the coming British Basketball League campaign and is expected in Sussex within a fortnight.

His agreement of a new one-year deal will be great news to Bears fans who have been calling for his return on the club's website.

Alderson played virtually every position on the court at some stage last season, clinching his first ever winner's medal in the National Cup and claiming four monumental triple-doubles.

He expressed his wish to return to Brighton even before last season's play-offs and Bears chief Nick Nurse has revealed he was always confident of bringing back the 27-year-old, 6ft 5ins showman.

Nurse said: "Rico had a hell of year for us last season.

"From an injury point of view, last season was a disaster for us and people tend to overlook that, but he was out there every night passing the ball, running the point, rebounding and scoring.

"We agreed some time ago he would come back.

"It went pretty quiet. Then he just called me the other day and said "When am I supposed to get on the plane, coach?'

"He was always in my plans."

Alderson will be guaranteed a starting spot in domestic competition though, as things stand, he will not feature in the ULEB Cup.

Skipper Randy Duck and power forward Kendrick Warren are currently in pole position to fill Bears' two slots for import players in European competition.

Alderson has been playing some small-time summer basketball in Nashville and is in good shape for the season ahead.

He said: "Healthy? You know me. I'm always healthy. I've been playing during the summer but it has been low key. Nobody over here can guard me I was always going to go back to Brighton. I wouldn't go back to England and play for anybody else.

"I want to repeat as cup holder and then do some more."

Alderson averaged 14 points and 10.5 rebounds per game last season, though his year was not without controversy.

He was ejected from two successive matches in the first half of the season, earning a three-game ban, but returned in style, replacing Randy Duck at point guard in a winning run which included the cup final defeat of Chester.

His triple-doubles included a haul of 34 points, 25 rebounds and 11 assists against Leicester, statistically the greatest solo display ever recorded in a British League match.

Fans also loved his whole-hearted attitude to every game and his willingness to get through lots of hard work which did not necessarily show up on the stats sheet.

Nurse's team building now hinges on the introduction of a centre to replace the departed Wilbur Johnson.