Nick Nurse will today step up his search for an experienced big man after admitting he is "over the moon" with his new-look Brighton Bears.

The British League champions are close to signing 6ft 11ins utility player Ajou Deng and American guard Steve Lepore as they prepare for their next pre-season test, a six-team tournament in France.

Now they will look to bolster the power forward area after rejecting Austin Peay university graduate Josh Lewis, who is likely to launch his professional career in Austria.

Bears delighted home fans with a win over Team USA Select and narrow defeat to French play-off runners-up Gravelines in the Subway World Classic at the Triangle.

They renew rivalry with Gravelines in St Paul-sur-mer, near Dunkirk, a week today (7.30pm) as part of the French club's pre-season event.

Bears also meet Paris Racing on October 1 (5.30pm) before playing off on October 3 for either first, third or fifth place against opponents from the other three-team group, which comprises ULEB Cup holders Hapoel Jerusalem, Telekom Bonn and Liege.

There are no other friendlies planned ahead of the league opener at Thames Valley on October 9.

Bears no longer have room for non-EU players in their squad but can sign a dual-national without exceeding quotas for the domestic league and European games.

Nurse said: "We need a big man inside, a little more beef which we will have to find, but I'm pretty happy with the way it looks.

"This team has got something about it. For them to be together for one day and play like they did last weekend was very impressive.

"They weren't scared at all. I'm over the moon with these guys.

"I put new offences in and they got them straight away. It's a smart group."

Lepore is among the brightest prospects for the new season.

He has a fine American college pedigree from Wake Forest, where his team mates included Josh Howard, now a star in the NBA with Dallas Mavericks.

Lepore also played a major role in propelling the US Junior National Team to the finals of the 1999 FIBA Junior World Championships in Portugal.

Nurse said: "He's a smart player. He can shoot, get to the rim, he's quick and he gets rebounds.

"Then we've got Ryan Huntley, who is great. He's got the skills, he shoots well and I like the tempo he plays at. Duncan Ogilvie's a a very good player too. He's athletic and smart."

Huntley will be Bears' on-court leader and was one of the stars of the weekend, along with Deng, who hit 27 points against Team USA and had 13 rebounds against Gravelines.

Nurse rejected Lewis because he felt he was not strong enough but believes Andrew Alleyne will flourish in the new look set-up.

Alleyne tends to dominate games in his native Barbados but can go into his shell when lined up with colleagues of strong character, as was often the case last season.

The strongest was Rico Alderson, who has since moved to London Towers and already been banned by his new club for one game after a disagreement with team mate Jerry Williams.

It was perhaps no surprise that Alleyne's best displays came in the ULEB Cup, when Alderson's absence gave him more chance to shine He fired eight points in the first quarter last Saturday and three successive three-pointers against Gravelines.

Nurse said: "You don't average 15 points and eight rebounds in the ULEB Cup if you are not a good player.

"He will need to be one of our main guns this year."

Bears have confirmed ticket prices will be unchanged for individual games this season, which means unreserved seats will again cost £10. The club are also looking to make some off-court signings when they stage auditions for dancers at the University of Sussex sports centre next Wednesday (7pm). Details on (01273) 697400 or by emailing heather@brightonbears.com Worthing Thunder have been given a bye to the third round of the National Cup after Brixton withdrew. The cup tie has been replaced by a pre-season game against Thames Valley Tigers at Worthing Leisure Centre tomorrow (8.30pm).