Terrance McGee has made a career out of proving his critics wrong.

And Brighton Bears' point guard will happily ruffle a few more feathers as he leads his new team into British League action.

The 24-year-old 6ft American will take centre stage when Bears go to Milton Keynes tonight and kick-off their home programme against London Towers before a big Brighton Centre crowd on Sunday (5pm).

If he makes a success of it, Bears fans might just raise a glass to a high school teacher in America's mid-west.

McGee, back in the British League for a second spell after playing for Scottish Rocks in 2003-04, is a fiercely competitive character and no respecter of reputations.

He proved that on March 27 last year, top-scoring with 17 points as Rocks came to the Triangle and went on a 21-0 fourth-quarter run which delayed Bears' title celebrations.

Now he hopes to upset a few people in his new kit. And one in particular.

McGee revealed: "I grew up in Milwaukee, Wisconsin in the mid-west.

"When I was growing up I loved to play American football.

"I played a little quarterback, receiver and safety. I didn't really start playing basket-ball until I was in my freshman and sophomore years in high school.

"Then I got a little motivation because somebody told me I couldn't do something.

"That was my high school teacher. He told me I was better at football than basketball, which I was, but I decided to give up football and concentrate on basketball.

"There are a lot of good basketball players in Milwaukee who I compete against in the summer They don't really care where you've played. Whoever you are, they are always coming at you."

Bears coach Nick Nurse rates his new playmaker highly. He believes McGee will be as steady as predecessor Ryan Huntley and also add a steely edge.

In return, McGee knows all about his new boss having played for two of Nurse's basketball mates in Steve Swanson at Rocks and Rick Wesley at Northwest Missouri State University, whose team are known as the Bears.

He said: "My college coach told me about Nick and his style and I thought I would fit in. This is a good league with a lot of good guards. Nick told me about the style he wanted to play and he told me I'd fit.

"It's up-tempo, with intense defence, which is what I like.

"I've got a lot of heart and I hate to lose. I like the up-tempo style and I think I'm pretty good at it."

Bears opened the season with a one-point win at Birmingham after their high-intensity defence earned them a big lead but put them in serious foul trouble.

Nurse admitted: "The one thing I feared was that playing this way would be difficult for referees to handle.

"That's how it proved. It all got so frantic they did not know what to do other than blow the whistle for a foul.

"We got into a lot of foul trouble and it almost cost us the game."

Despite that, Bears will raise the tempo again this weekend and are particularly looking forward to how it works in the tight confines at Bletchley tonight.

Then comes the home opener. Towers, as ever, are being tipped for great things.

Big-scoring front court duo Lynard Stewart and Niki Arinze return while much is expected of Nate Johnson, the former Florida State and Olimpia Ljubilana point guard, and his sidekick Chez Marks, a three-point shooter fresh out of Morehead State University.

Bears are unlikely to lead the league but are only two quality signings from having a team which can aim for the knockout prizes.

They appear to have been written off around the league.

And that should suit McGee just fine.