Wilbur Johnson completes his move to Germany today insisting: "Brighton fans have not seen the last of me."

The popular Bears centre is set to tie up loose ends on a one-year deal with Bundesliga outfit Avitos Giessen.

He will be linking up again with Chris Finch, his former coach at Sheffield who moved to Giessen earlier this summer.

Johnson admits he is relishing the new challenge but would have loved to have played for the Bears in the ULEB Cup next season.

He said: "I'm pretty excited. I will be playing top level German basketball and it sounds like Chris is putting a nice team together.

"It's kind of sad to be leaving Brighton. Nick (Nurse) made me an offer but he knew I wanted to try my luck over there.

"I will be flying back to Brighton though. If we get a break during the season you can expect to see me and my family coming on a visit.

"I still follow the Bears on the internet."

Johnson, who is currently at home in Philadelphia, has secured a modest rise in basic pay.

He can also cash in on a range of performance-related incentives which form a big part of his deal.

Bears coach Nurse said: "It's a great move for Wil and a nice step forward for him with a coach he knows.

"He can be as good as he wants to be, it's just a matter of his fitness levels."

Guard Ralph Blalock, a key man for Bears last season, continues to be strongly linked with London Towers.

Blalock's agent Brian Elfus, however, has told The Argus not to expect a decision until the end of this month.

Nurse is closing in on several signings and runs the rule over some young hopefuls at Crystal Palace tonight.

Aaron Lovelace, a 6ft 5in American guard, and Christian Nkamhoua, a 6ft 6in forward from Cameroon, play for South Coast against Errol Seaman's Hackney side in the Hosana Summer League (8pm).

Nurse also takes a look at Pat Bates, the 6ft 8in Sussex teenager who plays his school basketball for Belmont Abbey in North Carolina, and Les Hartland, also 6ft 8in, who impressed in Hosana's recent try-outs.

Mark Jackson, Daniel Hildreth, Oli Roche, Steve Nelson and possibly James Brame complete the team, being coached by new Bears assistant Graham Wilson.

Hackney need a win to move into the play-offs and include highly-rated 7ft 2in Liam Hughes, a high school colleague of Richard Midgley.