ALEX Owumi claims Worcester Wolves are “hands down” the best team in the British Basketball League.

Wolves lead the way at the top of the table after winning their first five fixtures, including a 73-61 victory over defending champions Leicester Riders.

The small forward has played a key role in that success, sinking an average of 15.2 points per game for the University Arena club.

Tomorrow their credentials will be put to the test against a Newcastle Eagles side also on 10 points following one defeat from their first six games, an 89-87 overtime defeat at Plymouth Raiders.

But having already beaten the Riders this term, and crushing Birmingham Knights 100-59 last time out, Wolves head to the north-east (7.30pm) brimming with confidence.

Owumi, Wolves’ reigning player-of-the-year, said: “I don’t really look at it as a test — because people are saying it’s a test to see how good we are — I think we’re the best team in the league hands down.

“We are the team to beat and I think we’re going to be the team to beat for probably the whole season, with our personnel, the way we play defence, our physical style and guard play.”

Ace Owumi added: “This game is pretty huge for us right now, especially since we’re on a winning streak and a lot of teams are gunning for us.

“This will be a tough game because it’s on the road and we know how the Newcastle fans are but if we play our match the way we have in these first six games, I think we’re in good shape.”

Owumi has been joined in the Worcester ranks this season by Zaire Taylor, the fourth-highest points scorer in the league, and leading rebounder Will Creekmore.

He feels they have strengthened the team but have also responded to what coach Paul James has asked of them.

“Defensively, this year we’re very good,” Owumi said. “The guards are picking up the big men and rebounding, we have better shot-blockers this year and we’re really athletic.

“But it’s not necessarily the players, I think it’s the mind-set.

“I think the players that came in this year got it right away in training with what we wanted to do.

“Coach James wants us to be a defensive-minded team and on the first day he instilled that mind-set in every player and ran with it and it registered well with them.”

n Qaddafi’s Point Guard, the book on Owumi’s escape from war-torn Libya in 2011, has been released and can be bought through Amazon.