Real Madrid could be heading to Brighton as the Bears bring European basketball back to Sussex.

Nick Nurse's Bears and the fallen giants of Spanish basketball are among a 36-team field for next season's ULEB Cup.

Bears will not know who they face in their six-team pool until the draw is made next Monday but the competition includes a host of top names.

Real find themselves in the equivalent of football's UEFA Cup having failed to make the Spanish play-offs last season.

Their Madrid rivals Estudiantes are also in the ULEB draw while a four-team Italian contingent is led by Siena, fourth in the league last term.

Bears will need to sign additional Europeans to fit in with ULEB Cup restrictions on non-EU players.

England international Yorick Williams is expected to be among their targets.

Dual national Mike Brown, who was contemplating retirement, today revealed he is back in the gym and would relish a crack at Europe.

He said: "This fuels the fire. I'm back in the swing of things and I hope to have talks with Nick tomorrow."

Meanwhile, Bears guard Ralph Blalock is being linked with a switch to arch rivals London Towers.