Three of Sussex's brightest prospects are eyeing the English League as their route to more time on court.

Bud Johnston and Rani Malik have quit Brighton Bears and Thames Valley Tigers respectively to link up with the basketball academy at Nottingham Knights in EBL division three north.

The two sharpshooting guards, formerly with Brighton Cougars and Worthing Thunder respectively, were becoming frustrated at watching their BBL club mates from the bench.

Now Findon-based centre Oli Roche, previously with Worthing Thunder and Brighton Bears, is considering a link up with former Worthing Bears coach Billy Hungrecker at division one outfit Kingston Wildcats.

All three appear to have taken the common sense approach, swapping the prestige of being associated with top flight clubs to put in the on-court hours vital to their progress as senior basketball players.

Johnston, discovered by Bears chief Nick Nurse playing on Brighton seafront, was first to make the move.

Nurse was unhappy when the BBL turned down his application to be able to name 12 players for domestic matches, which would have enabled Johnston and Roche to suit up.

That did not answer the main issue, however, of getting court time when part of arguably the strongest squad ever assembled in this country.

As a result, Johnston, still only 19, decided to resurrect a contact in Nottingham.

He said: "When I was younger I went for a trial at an academy there but at the time I decided to stay in Brighton.

"Some of the people who worked there have since come together doing something very similar with the Nottingham Knights.

"We train three times a week, we do lifting sessions and I'm going back to college. The set-up is as professional as a division three team can be."

Johnston, who is following courses in music and sound technology and gym instruction, is hoping to get a chance in America next winter after being put in touch with a high school by Bears star Sullivan Phillips.

He said: "It sounds quite promising. The coach has been asking to see tapes of me.

"If it happens, it happens, but I've just got to get it out of my head for now.

"I might move on to Nottingham University and carry on playing here.

"It's really good up here and it's great to be playing a lot of minutes.

"I couldn't handle not playing for another season."

Johnston hit back-to-back three-pointers early in his debut, then added the clinching free throws with 40 seconds to go in a 20-point haul as Knights beat Mansfield Express 89-87.

Malik, 21, joined up with Knights at the beginning of last week after finally running out of patience at Thames Valley.

Meanwhile, Roche is weighing up his options after finding his chances at Brighton reduced to virtually nil.

Although a link-up with Kingston is possible, he may also consider a switch to Loughborough University and trying his luck with the Leicester Riders.

The 6ft 8ins, 19-year-old said: "There's no bad feeling with the Bears. I wish them the best of luck but it's not what I want to do.

"It's a bit miserable not playing. You do all the work in the week and then don't see anything for it.

"Fair do's, that's what I would have done in Nick's shoes but, once I saw we had 12 players, I knew it wasn't going to be the best of times."