Rico Alderson reckons he is the Eddie Murphy of the Brighton Bears.

Now the popular No. 5 hopes to keep laughing all the way to the BBL final four.

Bears host derby rivals London Towers at the Brighton Centre on Sunday (6pm) with a place at the play-off finals weekend at stake.

It is one of the biggest games on the south coast in years and Bears will start as favourites, having finished five places above the under-performing Towers in the final standings.

To get through, Bears will need to improve on most of their recent displays and find the flair which saw them to National Cup glory and league leadership.

That is where Alderson believes he can come in.

Bears got together for a team lunch at Nando's in Brighton yesterday and Alderson says he helps keep them entertained at quieter times in the long hours after training.

Alderson, who hopes to sign a new contract at Brighton before taking his summer break, revealed: "I have everybody around to my room and we chill.

"I'm the team guy, the team mascot. My room is the team house.

"My guys always confide in me, come see me, come holler at me.

"I like to have a good time, make everybody laugh. I'm probably like the Eddie Murphy of this team."

Alderson denied Bears' form had dipped in recent weeks.

He said: "We battled through the whole season and the Sheffield game we lost at home took a lot out of us.

"We were running on a full tank of gas and then that game came. Now we've refilled and we're back to business."

They will need to be if they are to beat a Towers side whose league form has been inexplicably bad.

Or is it inexplicable? The conspiracy theorists have claimed Towers wanted seventh spot all along because they feel they match up well with Bears in the play-offs.

Alderson takes that idea with a pinch of salt.

He said: "We don't really buy into that idea. It's just hearsay.

"We know as players no one is going to go into any game trying to lose.

"They are saying they want to play us. Well, whatever floats their boat. We're just looking to sink their ship.

"We want to play anybody right now. I hope they are ready because I know we will be.

"They say they match up well with us but I think Sterl (Davis) matches well with Kendrick Warren, I match up with anybody, (Randy) Duck matches up with anybody."

Sunday's winners are likely to join Sheffield and Chester in the final four in Birmingham on May 3-4, with the quarter-final between Thames Valley and Newcastle too close to predict.

With Bears, Chester and Sheffield having won one prize apiece this season, the race is on to make it a double.

Alderson has tasted individual success as the top offensive rebounder in the league, averaging 4.2 per game, and has gained his first major honour in the National Cup.

Now another medal and a new deal are in his sights.

He said: "Nick Nurse doesn't complain and my team mates don't complain so I feel like I've done my job.

"Plus I was a champion. I've never been a champion, always been in the finals, so I feel like I've done the city pretty well.

"Hopefully I can sign with Brighton Bears again before I go home.

"That's my plan but if it doesn't work out something else will come my way."

With the Globetrotters in town tomorrow, a great weekend of summer sunshine and quality on-court action could be in store.

That is a combination you do not get too often in the basketball season.

Alderson just hopes he is still smiling at the end of it all.