Buffalo Stampede player Terrence Dill returned to Bermuda in Tuesday as he awaits a new visa that will enable him to stay longer in the United States to fulfill a life long dream.

Dill was expected to put pen to paper on his contract, which hasn't been finalised, and has returned home to wait for a new work visa that will enable him to stay and play for the side.

Yet it won't be all fun in the sun for the 24-year-old, who will be travelling around the Island for press conferences as well as photo shoots.

"I'm supposed to be back just until Sunday, when my visa will be sorted out and hopefully it is just until then and I can go back and continue getting ready for the season," said Dill.

"I still haven't signed for the team, there are still a few things that need to be sorted out like salary and so forth, but I have a letter that basically my contract for the time being that says I am a member of the team.

"It feels good to know that I will definitely play for a professional team, it isn't verbal it is actually in writing."

Stampede are in their third season of professional basketball and their first in the Atlantic Coast Professional Basketball League (ACPBL).

Bermuda Gas were the main sponsors of the SKY All-Star weekend at Berkeley Institute in May when Dill was spotted by the Stampede.

The club's general manager, and former Hall of Famer, Bouie Roosevelt watched Dill in action during a visit to Bermuda last summer and subsequently invited him for a three-day trial.

But the Bermudian's chances of impressing were ruined when he turned his ankle forcing him to return home to recover from that injury and weigh up his next move.

He attended trials for a team in North Carolina and considered trying his luck in Europe before Stampede came calling again.

Yesterday Dill thanked the company for investing in an event that enables Bermuda's best basketball players the chance to showcase their skills against quality opposition.

"Bermuda Gas are having a press conference tomorrow (today) in regards to me and their help in the early stages of me getting noticed, and I am grateful to them for helping me get a chance to get looked at."

"For corporations and individuals to come out and put together things like the All-Star weekend is great because it give players a chance to show what they are worth.

"It is an excellent chance and when you look around the Island there is a lot of potential that doesn't get showcased, so for things like this to happen it is always a plus.

"It can be any sport – squash, golf, sailing – when you bring in good competition for the local athletes to compete against, they not only get to see what it is like to play against quality opposition, but also show what they can do.

"Things like the Thanksgiving Day basketball tournament is another great opportunity for the younger guys to maybe get scholarships to go abroad to schools and so forth."

Meanwhile, Stampede have hired Herb Richmond as their head coach.

Richmond, a Buffalo native, attended East High School and played at Ithaca College.

He began his coaching career as an assistant at D'Youville College under Dave Spiller and was the head coach at Broome Community College from 1988-91.

Richmond was also assistant coach at Ravenscroft School, in Raleigh, North Carolina. In addition, he worked for many years at Five Star Basketball camp working with players such as Chris Paul and Raymond Felton.

He has spent the better part of the past two seasons working with Coach Don Sillveri at Daemen College.