Top scorer Sterling Davis will defy an ankle injury and help Brighton Bears attempt to take full advantage of last night's major title boost.

Bears' arch rivals Chester suffered a shock 88-85 defeat at Milton Keynes in the British League and visit leaders Sheffield tomorrow while Brighton go to Leicester.

Davis, who has hit 109 points in Bears' last four League games to take his season's average to 19.88, resumed training yesterday and has been given the all-clear to play.

Emiko Etete, however, is rated doubtful after being kept off the practice court by a shoulder injury sustained in last weekend's rout of Leicester.

The rock bottom East Midlanders again provide the opposition tomorrow (6pm), this time at Loughborough University, and Bears coach Nick Nurse is wary of an upset.

Leicester have lost 19 successive games but their neighbours Derby Storm proved shocks can happen this time last year when they beat table-topping London Towers.

Nurse said: "Leicester will come good some time. It will be tough for us mentally. Seeing Sterling back in practice is good news but he will be at less than 100 per cent."

Like Bears, Worthing Thunder will be expected to see off the bottom side as they play a double-header with Coventry in the NBL Conference. Skipper Gaylon Moore promised: "We won't under-estimate them."