Bermuda basketball star Sullivan Phillips will continue to ply his trade in Cyprus after agreeing to a deal with Apoel BC, months after leaving his former side Pizza Express Primetel Apollon.

Phillips was in talks with several teams in Europe, but the chance to stay in Cyprus seemed to good to turn down.

He is now going into his second year in Cyprus.

The 30-year-old is excited about the chance to experience something new at Apoel BC and is encouraged by the style of basketball they like to play.

"I have signed with a European team in Cyprus called Apoel basketball club," said Phillips. "We will play in the EuroCup, which is like the Uefa Cup of football to Champions League which in basketball is Euroleague."

"Training hasn't started yet for me, I won't go over until the first week in September but I hear the team is looking strong, and we will be very good.

"Every team is a new experience, different coach, teammates and other things.

"I expect it to be different from last year because the coach I will have this year is much more demanding and experienced, so more pressure to win.

"The expectations are to win as a team first and foremost, statistically get better numbers that reflect my abilities and with this coach we have, I'm sure I'll achieve both."

Thus far in his career Phillips has played in England, where he won the league two times, one BBL trophy and the playoff championship twice, Switzerland, Czech Republic, where he was a cup finalist, and in France where he won the playoff championship.

While there seems to be no road leading to the NBA for Phillips, he insists that the European style of basketball is quickly catching up to that of its illustrious counterpart.

In past years it was the USA that was carrying home gold medals on a regular basis.

Yet, with the European powers coming into their own and making their presence felt in the internationalS, while the Americans look for reasons for their recent decline in the sport, the Bermudian acknowledges that the only difference in the two versions of the game are the rules.

"The fundamental difference between NBA and Europe are the rules," he said.

"NBA is a scoring league so rules are in place, like on defensive were no player can stand and block the rim or be in the key for more than three seconds or the other team gets a free-throw.

"In Europe this doesn't exist so is more difficult to score, and the pace of the games in Europe is more team orientated.

"But I think that the style of European play is vastly catching up to the NBA."