Ryan Huntley today revealed Genesis Brighton Bears were slow off the mark in their efforts to bring him back to Sussex.

But Huntley, who plays against Bears for Leicester Riders tomorrow night, is convinced his old club have signed a winner in point guard Terrance McGee.

The two playmakers renew a rivalry tomorrow that last saw them lock horns in the play-off quarter-finals 18 months ago, when Huntley's Chester won 86-83 at Scottish Rocks, for whom McGee saw a buzzer-beating three-pointer hit the rim and bounce away.

It will be the first time Bears fans have seen Huntley in action since he collapsed in agony after colliding with the base of a basket at the Triangle midway through last season.

The broken foot he suffered in that freak accident, and the subsequent arrival of Cheyne Gadson as replacement, ended Huntley's debut season with the Bears.

Now he is back in the BBL, at the helm of an all-star Leicester starting five which also features former Bears forward Tony Holley.

With former LA Laker Steve Bucknall, American college star Anthony McHenry and England centre Robert Reed also on board, Riders should give Bears a big test.

But Huntley is not getting too excited about it.

He said: "Leicester are my fourth team so if I got worked up every time I played one of my old clubs I'd be on an emotional rollercoaster.

"We know Brighton will be a tough game. They will be well prepared and Terrance McGee is a really good player.

"He is the sort of player who will hit a big shot when the game is on the line.

"He gets his players involved really well. I think he's similar to how I play."

McGee was Huntley's successor at Scottish Rocks two years ago.

Huntley has revealed he could have gone north of the border again this season as most of the league waited for his return to Brighton.

He said: "The first club to contact me were Scottish Rocks.

"I spoke with Chester as well and then Leicester. Brighton were the last team to contact me.

"Actually, I spoke with Nick (Nurse) through email over the course of the summer about the USBL team he was involved in and general basketball issues but we never talked about me coming back to Brighton.

"I wasn't approached until I had already signed with Leicester.

"It's going okay here. We're just trying to find ourselves at the moment because we haven't been together that long.

"But I'm enjoying it. I've enjoyed every team I've played for. I can't complain."

Leicester have had contrasting fortunes in their two home games to date, both against Huntley's old clubs.

They were thumped 95-65 by the Rocks, then saw off Chester 86-65.

Nurse is likely to give his new English big man Lijah Perkins a debut and remains on the trail of Dennis Carr, a 6ft 8in American forward.

Bears are looking to play high pressure defence this season but it was only seen in fits and starts in Sunday's win over London Towers. Nurse said: "The players are coming on in leaps and bounds but the pressure we are applying is still not very good.

"On a scale of one to ten, what you saw last Sunday was about a three-and-a-half.

"I would expect most people will be thinking Leicester will beat us tomorrow but we are hoping our extra couple of bodies, allied to the energy and enthusiasm we are playing with, help us play harder and use more people than the opposition."