WORCESTER Wolves’ players have been told to stop making “silly mistakes” and conceding “easy fouls” ahead of tonight’s BBL Trophy first-round tie at Glasgow Rocks (7.30pm).

Cheshire Phoenix had almost three times as many free-throw attempts in their 88-78 victory over Wolves at the University of Worcester Arena last weekend.

The “massive disparity” in the British Basketball League clash left Worcester boss Ty Shaw bemused but he admitted it was clear his men needed to review their physicality in defence to improve their ill-discipline.

“A big thing for us was they shot 31 free throws and we shot 11,” Shaw said.

“I have not seen a whole lot of basketball in my career where you have had that big a disparity in free throws.

“That is something we have got to figure out going forward.

“Obviously being physical and proactive on defence is something we have got to look at so we need to make sure we are moving our feet and keeping our hands off.

“Obviously the other teams aren’t so we will have to make sure that we aren’t as well.

“We will have to focus on ourselves and make sure we are not making silly mistakes and giving away easy fouls.”

Asked whether he was unhappy with the officiating against Cheshire, Shaw replied: “I am not unhappy with anybody.

“We just have got to adjust to the game and make sure we are doing the things that we need to do, not put ourselves in situations where we are fouling or in positions where it creates the choice for a foul or a non-call.”

A run of 11 successive league defeats has left Wolves languishing at the foot of the table.

Third-from-bottom Glasgow have also struggled this term but ran out 89-61 winners in their previous meeting with Worcester at the Emirates Arena in late October.

Wolves will now be looking to gain their revenge in the trophy.

“A competitive basketball game is a competitive basketball game,” Shaw said.

“It’s not like some of the football cups where you are playing different teams from different countries.

“We are playing teams that we know and have played before.

“It is a long trip but it is also a chance for young guys to build a little team chemistry along the way so we have got to take that for what it is and use it.

“Any game that we can have right now as far as building and gelling together we will take and we will use.”

Since Wolves’ last visit to Rocks, the Glasgow side have signed 6ft 4in Lithuanian international guard Tadas Rinkunas.

“They have added a shooter which just adds another dimension and another body that we have got to look at,” Shaw added.

“But other than that we know who they are and they know who we are.

“That’s the beauty and the beast of the season — everybody knows everybody.”