Basketball
Wolves aiming to finish great year in style

Buy photos » The Worcester Wolves squad will be hoping to give their fans some post-Christmas cheer by going top of the BBL Championship with victory over Leicester Riders. Picture by Keith Hunt.

VICTORY on Wednesday night for Worcester Wolves will see them go into the New Year as the new leaders of the BBL Championship.

Wolves, who currently sit in second place, go into their home clash with the Leicester Riders hoping to carry on their winning momentum after last weekend's brilliant back-to-back wins against Newcastle Eagles and Glasgow Rocks.

Fourth placed Leicester will be tough opponents after having an impressive start to their Championship campaign winning five out of their first six fixtures with Great Britain captain Andrew Sullivan being a shining light in most of their displays this season.

And Wolves head coach Paul James is expecting another tough encounter for his team against their Midland rivals in a rare midweek fixture at the University of Worcester (tip-off 7.30pm).

"Riders have a very good team this season and have built on what they had last season," he said. "They are well coached by Rob Paternostro and play with a lot of energy at both ends of the floor.

"We will be focusing on them as a team as they have too many scoring weapons to focus on any one player.

"But if we can carry forward the form of last weekend we will go into 2012 top of the league and then we'll just take things from there.

"These guys are mentally tough, are fit, and want to win games. They believe in one another, play hard to the end and find ways to win."

One of Wolves' shining lights this season has been the form of sharp-shooter Tommy Freeman, who scored a massive 33 points in the superb comeback win against Newcastle.

But despite the club making their best ever start to a BBL season, the young American forward said it is important the team do not get carried away at this early stage.

"We've had a lot of success to begin the season but we have to keep playing one game at a time and come to practise ready to focus on getting better," Freeman said. "Yes we're all excited by the start but we're still not satisfied."

Wolves still can end the year in top-spot in the BBL Championship even with defeat to Leicester but would need to beat MK Lions away from home on Friday night to leapfrog current table-toppers Newcastle.