Injury-ravaged Brighton Bears are down to six fit men for tonight's trip to Scottish Rocks.

Cheyne Gadson (back) and Radhi Knapp (blood infection) are both expected to be left at home as Bears strive to head-off a third successive defeat.

There are fears Gadson, the team's top scorer in recent weeks, could also miss weekend games against Birmingham and Plymouth.

The guard from New York has had a check-up after complaining of pains in his lower back which he feels may have been caused by the courts he has played on in recent weeks.

Bears coach Nick Nurse has already lost the services of Ryan Huntley and Yorick Williams in recent weeks and seen his team slip out of the British League title race.

Gadson was signed at short notice to replace Huntley at point guard but has also had to take much of the scoring load previously borne by Williams.

He averages 20 points per game but made just three off 22 field goal attempts in last Sunday's shattering BBL Trophy final defeat to Newcastle.

Gadson admitted: "That wasn't me out there. I was struggling, I was getting beat up but the refs weren't calling anything.

"I've been playing with this back pain for two weeks and I really need to rest it up.

"That's very disappointing for these up and coming games but also because I'm trying to make a statement with how I play in this league."

Gadson says he is close to securing a spot on an NBA summer league team, which could make the somewhat cryptic second half of his last sentence more meaningful.

Knapp, meanwhile, has been advised to miss tonight's game and complete the course of antibiotics prescribed by staff at the Royal Sussex Hospital in Brighton.

He is likely to be fully recovered for the weekend.

Knapp spent two nights in hospital ahead of the Trophy final and had further check-ups on Monday and yesterday. He said: "Because I'm quite big I've been given strong antibiotics.

"They want to me to complete the course and rest but I really want to play at the weekend."

Gadson's absence gives Ronnie Baker a chance to make his first start for Brighton and build on last Sunday's 21-point haul.

That was probably the England playmaker's second best display since rejoining the club, ranking just behind his authoritative evening's work coming off the bench in the win at Sheffield.

He could face a major test of his defensive steel tonight, though, against Rocks point guard Lamont McIntosh, who averages 17 points per game and is a feared three-point shooter.

Rocks are virtually assured of a play-off place but could look to overhaul Bears and grab a top-four finish if they win tonight.

Bears coach Nurse said: "This isn't really a good time for us to be playing three times in four days.

"We will be fighting like heck though."

A key evening in the title race also sees Newcastle entertain Chester and Sheffield host Plymouth.

Meanwhile, Richard Midgley, the third-year University of California guard from Burgess Hill, could see his most productive season in American college basketball end in impressive surroundings tonight.

California, seeded eighth in the Pacific 10 Conference, take on top-ranked Arizona in a play-off quarter-final at the Staples Center, home of Kobe Bryant and the Los Angeles Lakers.

Midgley has averaged a career high 15 points per game, despite injury problems, and has hit 50 three-pointers, one less than current NBA star Jason Kidd managed in his best year at California.

Despite his success, Midgley has already indicated he will stay at college for a fourth and final year.

Tonight's game tips-off at 8.20pm our time.