Emiko Etete is determined to return to the big stage after being told his season has been ended by a shoulder problem.

The Brighton Bears forward has been offered a community coaching role by the club for the rest of the season.

Bears fear Randy Duck could join him on the sidelines for most, if not all, the run-in as he recovers more slowly than expected from a hernia.

Meanwhile guard Ralph Blalock is not expected to complete this weekend's British League double header at home to Scottish Rocks on Saturday and at Chester on Sunday.

Blalock's toe injury has been diagnosed as a sprain rather than a break, which is a relief for club owner and head coach Nick Nurse.

Wilbur Johnson, January's BBL player-of-the-month, is back in England and trained today after missing last week's defeat at Newcastle due to family commitments.

That will be a boost for Bears who, when Rico Alderson fouled out, were missing five senior players for the closing stages of Sunday's setback at the Telewest Arena.

Errol Seaman emerged from training today and laughed off reports he had joined Belgian side Avernas, with whom he was in contact last summer.

Etete's strength and enthusiasm off the bench will not be seen again this season, however.

The 31-year-old Londoner admitted: "It's hard to take because the team here is such a good one to be on. Nick has spoken to me about being part of the club and I'm interested in that. I will still be around.

"I want to get over this injury and be back playing. I'm always motivated but I'm even more motivated to do that now. You realise how much you want to play when something like this happens."

Etete suffered the injury in the home game against Leicester. He sat out the return fixture as well as wins at Milton Keynes and London Towers.

Immediately after the Towers game, he was in great spirits, cheerfully revealing how he expected to be back for the Newcastle trip.

Instead, further examinations revealed more extensive damage to the joint and tendons than first thought.

He said: "My movement is restricted. If I do certain movements I am in a lot of pain."

Etete spoke with Nurse yesterday about a role he could play for the club in the coming months. Nurse revealed: "Players' contracts are heavily balanced towards the club and owner. That's the nature of how basketball has evolved over here.

"We will not follow the letter of the contract though. We will try and keep him around.

"I don't think there is another club in this country that would do it this way. We want to try and keep him on and he is probably going to be more heavily involved in our community programmes.

"He's an impressive individual, he's bright and, even though we don't have loads of money lying around, we will do our very best to keep him involved."

Duck will be a spectator at the weekend and Nurse admitted: "He's still a long way away and I am now nervous that he is going to come back."

Blalock will be asked to work his magic against the under-rated Rocks, then see if he is fit for the Chester game.

Victory there would end a sequence of 14 successive defeats at Chester.

Jets last night revealed guard John Thomas had been banned for their forthcoming Milton Keynes game after a recent ejection.

A sellout crowd is expected on Saturday, with fans urged to book in advance. Call the ticket hotline on (01273) 697400 or go to www.brightonbears.com