Wolves ready for unknown Tigers

Worcester Wolves face games on consecutive nights this weekend as they look to extend their impressive four match unbeaten run.

On Friday (tip off 7.30pm) the Wolves will travel to Mersey Tigers in the quarter finals of the BBL Cup, before returning to the University of Worcester on Saturday evening (tip off 7pm) to take on BBL newcomers the Durham Wildcats in league action.

The Tigers line-up on Friday will be much-changed from the side that won the treble last season.

Wolves’ coach Paul James admits to having only limited knowledge of the current Tigers team: “I don’t know too much about them, but I know that they will be well prepared by their coach Tony Garbelotto, and will give us a lot of different looks to overcome.

“Kris Douse is playing well for them, and I have worked with Devan Bailey through the Great Britain under-23 programme. David Aliu gives them some experience and continuity from last season.”

Meanwhile Garbelotto is impressed with the Wolves: “Paul has recruited a strong and balanced team and they have had a good start to the season. They seem to have a good balance of inside and outside players.

“Sherrad Prezzie-Blue has had a really nice start to the season. Tommy Freeman looks like a great shooter, and Richie Gordon looks like a real force inside. Added to some really strong role players, they have a very strong team.”

The teams go into the match having both sat out last week’s action, but the previous week saw contrasting results with Mersey on the wrong end of a 30 point game against Glasgow Rocks while Worcester defeated Guildford Heat in consecutive games.

The winners of Friday’s contest will move on to face Plymouth Raiders in a two-leg semi-final, with the BBL Cup Final taking place at Birmingham’s National Indoor Arena on 15 January.