Basketball: Nurse stays, Waghorn coaches

But the club's charismatic and controversial figurehead admits it could be a while before he returns to coaching.

Nurse has spoken in detail for the first time of his disappointment at a three-point penalty for fielding an ineligible player when he sent out Dennis Rodman to face Guildford Heat.

He is working on unspecified projects away from the court as Bears look to build on the media interest and publicity they enjoyed while Rodman was on board for three games.

And he will continue to leave on-court matters to his assistant Phil Waghorn, who has been in charge since late November.

Nurse has praised Waghorn's work but feels many key figures in British basketball totally missed the point of why he brought five-times NBA champion Rodman to the BBL.

Nurse, who was considering his future after Rodman departed, said: "I'm not giving a ten-year commitment here but I've got a season to finish and we have play-offs to make.

"I've got a lot of things I'm evaluating and a lot to work on.

"We need more from our supporters, we need more from the city, we need more from the local media.

"Phil is doing a great job as coach. All things being considered, my health for one, Phil has made it easy for me to not rush back.

"Never say never but looking at where this club is heading I don't plan coaching for a while."

Nurse has attended home games recently but only been on one away trip, to accompany Rodman to the game at London Towers.

He hopes to bring Rodman back at the start of next season and is ambitious to take Brighton back to the top of British basketball.

But he admitted: "If people think I'm fed up they must be seeing some of the things I'm seeing."

He remains unhappy Guildford Heat protested after Rodman and Bears' three existing overseas players lined up against them on an historic night at the Triangle, when a packed crowd and 60 media representatives gave the BBL unprecedented excitement and exposure.

He is uncomfortable with the fact that, in a scenario akin to Roman Abramovich being in charge of football's Premiership, the BBL is chaired by an owner of one of its clubs, currently Paul Blake of Newcastle.

And he feels it is wrong his team's penalty was decided by directors of clubs who could be affected by a points deduction or result reversal.

But he insists he has no regrets over bringing in Rodman.

Nurse said: "The biggest problem (with the Guildford game) was it became a big event and it happened so fast that nobody could handle it.

"Dennis got out of the Big Brother house and signed the contract and 48 hours later he was playing for us and two weeks after that he was back again.

"Nobody had time to really evaluate how to do things.

"I think the BBL and most people in the league think Brighton broke a (player registration) rule, that's the bottom line.

"But that's narrow-minded thinking. People stretch and bend rules all the time. Newcastle went through the complete procedure when they signed Charles Smith (who walked out on arch rivals Scottish Rocks earlier in the season).

"But was it really right what they did? An independent chairman of the league might have looked at our situation and said let him play'.

"Nothing against Paul Blake but it's hard when you make a decision that can affect your own club. People would think the same about me if I was in that job.

"If the situation with Guildford was reversed, there's no way I would have made one of their guys sit out.

"I guarantee we would have made the decision to allow all their guys to play.

"That's what it's about for me. It's about players like Perry Lawson (Newcastle) and Lynard Stewart (Towers) coming up to me and saying thanks a lot' after playing against Dennis Rodman.

"I don't think anybody else sees it that way.

"It was more about the spectacle than who finishes fifth or sixth in the league but people are more interested in rules.

"Maybe I should have sat somebody out against Guildford. If I had known Dennis would be with us for three games maybe I would have.

"But that game at the Triangle was the biggest basketball event we've seen in this country, times 50.

"And that's one reason why I didn't want to play with a weaker team and make it less of a spectacle.

"It was the same against Newcastle when I had to sit Drew out.

"We were going on worldwide TV (the game was televised on an ITV internet channel) and we were handing Newcastle that opportunity as well.

"But they wouldn't give us the chance to make it as great a game as possible by playing a full team. I just don't get it."

Nurse is unhappy at having Bears bracketed with Birmingham Bullets as trouble-makers within the league.

Bullets owner Craig Bown recently cancelled a game with Milton Keynes in protest at the BBL's disciplinary procedures.

Bullets then announced the postponement of a trip to Brighton.

When the league granted them a special hearing, the game was put back on at short notice but, predictably, attracted a below-average crowd to the Brighton Centre.

Bears have until next Tuesday to make their final signings for the season and that will be one of the matters keeping Nurse busy.

He could hand veteran English centre Martin Henlan a surprise comeback after having a move to sign Robert Reed blocked.

Meanwhile, Nurse has played down a discernible feeling within the club that rivals are jealous of Bears' link with Rodman and that referees are out to give them a hard time.

Nurse had a heated meeting with referee assessor Mick Howell after last Saturday's defeat by Chester and expects some comeback.

He said: "You don't get away with that but I'm fighting for my team and I felt I was justified in doing so.

"I thought it was ironic the way the game was refereed.

"Jealous is a strong word "And I'm not going to say there's a conspiracy theory. It was just one of those great mysteries."