Ralph Blalock is ready to keep playing with the help of a painkilling injection to help Brighton Bears sparkle again.

Bears managed to grind out a win against London Towers without playing well offensively on Sunday, itself a sign of a team going places.

Now Blalock, who returned to something like full fitness and hit the shot which sent the game into overtime, wants to see the team back to their best for a tough series of three games in four days.

Point guard Randy Duck is expected to play some part in the games with Leopards, Birmingham and Newcastle.

Blalock meanwhile will look to increase his productivity from Sunday's win, in which he got through the full 45 minutes and made some key baskets but shot at just five-of-16 from two point range on his way to 14 points.

An hour after the game, when his team-mates had made their way through the melee of teenage autograph hunters and sought some post-match refreshment, Blalock was still sitting in the changing room, resting his left foot and describing his toe as feeling "sore and tender".

He said: "There is a lot of talent here and we want to get back to the way we run and gun up and down the court and being an exciting basketball team.

"It's a tough weekend with three games in four days but we have been in that situation before and come away with three wins.

"We are getting back healthy and hopefully we will have people back playing fully fit."

Unusually, Blalock was called for three travel violations on Sunday, including one which wiped out a successful three-pointer.

He was also unhappy at seeing several efforts either blocked or miss their target as he failed to get his usual lift-off when shooting.

He admitted: "I haven't been the real Ralph Blalock this season.

"I'm not shooting the ball really well right now but I haven't been so worried about it because we have so much talent on this team.

"I guess I know it's not just down to me. Sterling (Davis) and Randy and Wil (Johnson) have been playing well and can step up."

Blalock's painkilling injection will take effect for a further fortnight. After that he will hope the toe has healed, allowing him to continue at full capacity.

It was a refreshing sight for Bears fans to see ten players warming up before Sunday's game and the return of Duck will release Rico Alderson from point guard duties.

Blalock added: "Rico has done a great job at point guard but he is best cutting and dunking and running the floor. We have got capable guys who are athletes and we are prepared well by the coaching staff."

Among the unsung back room staff is physio Amy Rennolds, who has been kept busy throughout recent weeks.

Mike Brown, who has been left as Bears' only fully fit, experienced guard, is among those delighted to see her efforts pay off. Brown, who has responded with 99 points in the last six games, said: "It's always important after your first loss to win your next game but unfortunately it took us three games to do that.

"Now we've got Duck back and Ralph getting better and hopefully it's coming at the right time. "We had to play differently when those guys were away but now we can get back to winning ways.