HEAD coach Paul James insists Worcester Wolves will be just as “desperate” as play-off chasing Cheshire Phoenix to secure victory at the University of Worcester Arena tonight (7.30pm).

Going into the final weekend of the regular British Basketball League season Cheshire need to win both of their remaining games to keep their hopes alive of finishing in the top eight.

James whose side clinched their play-off spot last weekend said he expected Phoenix to come out firing as they bid to pip Sheffield Sharks into eighth place.

But James stressed it was important his team went into the end-of-season championship on the crest of a wave.

“The highest we can finish is fifth and the lowest we can finish is seventh,” said James whose side sit in sixth position.

“We will not find out who will face in the play-offs until Sunday but we want to go into it with confidence.

“Whoever we get it will be a very competitive and highly-charged fixture that I think we will be able to win.

“Cheshire still have something to play for.

“If they lose a game they can’t make the play-offs so they are going to come here fired up and motivated.

“They will be desperate to win like Bristol were last Saturday so they will play with that little bit more energy.

“But we are desperate to get a home victory as we want to make sure we give our fans something to cheer about going into the play-offs.”

Worcester will also be looking to bounce back from their narrowly 80-78 defeat at Bristol Flyers last weekend.

“Having had less than a 24-hour turnaround from our win over Sheffield Sharks I thought we did a great job against Bristol,” said James.

“Although we lost the game we had all the shots that we needed down the stretch.

“We were eight points up with five minutes to go and we would normally close that game out.

“All we needed was one stop and one score but we just couldn’t get that which was a bit unusual for us.

“But I just want us to carry on playing the way we have been playing.

“In the last five or six games we have played pretty well.

“Even when we have lost we have been there, fighting and they have been close losses.”

Forward Rob Gilchrist featured for the first time since returning from the Commonwealth Games when Wolves took on Bristol.

And James is keen to see more from the England international against Cheshire this evening and on Sunday when Worcester visit fourth-placed Glasgow Rocks.

“Rob is getting into the swing of things,” James added.

“But these two games are a chance for him to find his range and get into the rhythm with the rest of the team.”