Nick Nurse insists he is closing in on one or two new players for his Genesis Brighton Bears.

But he does not expect to have either on board for tonight's BBL Trophy trip to London United (8pm).

Nurse is aiming for a shooter and a rebounder and believes at least one of them could be on board when they open their defence of the BBL Cup at Chester on Sunday.

Bears will be unchanged tonight for a qualifying group fixture they should, and must, win.

Nurse, whose team have already beaten Worthing Thunder in their group, said: "I'm talking to a number of potential new guys. Nothing is happening right now but it could do at any time.

"I am talking to a shooter and a rebounder and there's a chance I may get someone by Saturday."

Bears are currently taking more offensive rebounds than any other team in the British League with 16.6 per game but that is largely down to the fact they are missing a high percentage of their shots.

Their 38.67 per cent strike rate from open play is the worst in the BBL and their 26.21 per cent from three-point range deserves to be the worst, though Plymouth and Chester are just below them at the moment.

Nurse would rather his men were putting the ball in the basket than trying to rebound their misses.

Bears currently have the maximum three work-permit players registered in Terrance McGee, Andrew Alleyne and Dennis Carr.

Carr did not play last weekend but remains eligible to make a comeback until Bears sign someone in his place.

Bears also have one non-permit player in Corey Jackson but have not filled their dual-national spot.

They will get a chance to boost confidence, and their points tally, against EBL outfit United in their gym at the Brunel University Osterley campus.

Bears assistant coach Phil Waghorn, a former EBL coach with Thunder, reckons strength in depth is the key against lower league clubs.

He said: "I think it showed when we played Worthing that EBL teams have a reasonable standard of player but the key is whether they can sustain their efforts over 40 minutes.

"Having seen it from sides, that is the thing that strikes me.

"BBL teams have an edge in 40-minute games but we can't go into it tonight thinking there will be no problems for us."

The latest personnel changes in a turbulent start to the BBL season have seen London Towers replace Nate Johnson with Quincy Wadley in their back court and Chester sign Jamal Brown to replace centre Gentry Lewis.