Danny and Richard Midgley are divided by 3,000 miles and united by sporting ambition.

The brothers from Burgess Hill are preparing to head back to the United States to continue their education in the toughest basketball environment of them all.

For Danny, 22, that means a final season on the east coast with University of Maine (Machias), followed by a career in the British League or Europe.

For Richard, 21 next month, the future should be even brighter. He starts his last two years at University of California in Berkeley being talked of as a potential NBA star.

Serious basketball fans across the States know all about Richard after a three-pointer at the end of his first year at California clinched a play-off win over North Carolina State which was screened coast to coast.

He plays in front of five-figure crowds, is a regular starter and has challenged several current NBA men, including this week's play-off final star Luke Walton of the LA Lakers.

His is the story which inspires English teenagers he plays with during the summer to aim sky high. Not that it comes easy.

He said: "As soon as the season was over we had two weeks off. Then we had strength and conditioning throughout the spring.

"That meant getting up at six in the morning and running the track, lifting weights and then individual workouts.

"I try and take 300 shots a day. Sometimes if we have workouts at seven in the morning it's tough but you've got to do it."

The rewards are there. Not financial as yet, but the confidence of being entrusted to run the offence in his first year, then operating as shooting guard in his second.

He said: "Throughout the season my shooting improved but I'm supposed to be a shooter so that was expected.

"I'm only 6ft 2ins and a lot of the guys are a lot taller so you've just got to work out where you can shoot.

"We had two point guards last year, including a senior who left, but this year I'm going to be playing both positions.

"We're going to have more of a guard offence. We don't really have too many big men this year."

Richard, who is following in the footsteps of New Jersey Nets star and ex-California golden boy Jason Kidd, is quietly spoken but impressively confident about the future.

He said: "I'm going to go pro, it's just a matter of where I go.

"My goal is to make the NBA, if I don't do that I'll play in Europe.

"Coaches say I'm going to have a shot at the NBA but right now I'm just going to improve for our Cal team."

Hopes are high too for Danny, who plays a division below his brother but has grown up since filling a minor role for struggling Brighton Bears in 2000/01.

He said: "I'm a lot more confident and I'm stronger. You work so hard on fundamentals and strength in the States.

"I think I can play BBL or higher. We'll see if it happens.

"Being at Brighton helped me a lot and I thank (former Bears coach) Mark Dunning for that but it's a lot more one-to-one stuff in America."

It takes a trip home, though, to offer a chance of the acid test against his brother.

He said: "Playing against Richard is good because I can see a difference in myself.

"Whereas before he would be killing me totally, at least I'm playing a little bit of defence on him now, even though it's tough."