James: ‘Solid Defence is Key Against Plymouth’

Paul James has called on his Worcester Wolves side to put on a solid defensive display as they host the Plymouth Raiders on Friday.

Wolves will be looking to build on last weekend’s dominant win over Sheffield as they face the Raiders, who sit ninth in the British Basketball League having suffered a difficult campaign; they have taken just 7 wins from 23 league games this season.

James now wants Wolves to put together a run of wins as they continue their top-three dogfight.

He said: “We’re full of confidence but we can’t be over confident. We’ve got to go out there and play with the same passion and intensity as last weekend and we’ve got to play for each other.

“Plymouth has a good team. They shoot the ball very well and put a lot of points on the board so our defence has got to be every bit as good as it can be. “

Wolves will be without Disraeli Lufadeju, who looks set to miss the rest of the season with a damaged knee ligament. However, James is confident that new signing Robertas Bitinas will be able to provide cover in the point-guard position this season.

“Disraeli’s a massive loss for us because he’s started to play very, very well,” he explained. “He’s had some key performances for us coming off the bench and he gives us a lot of energy, so he’s a massive loss.

“Bringing Robertas in will give us not only a shooting threat, but also a wealth of extensive experience. “We’re excited about having him in because he’s certainly going to help the team for the rest of the season.”