IT is fantastic for Worcester Wolves to end the year top of the British Basketball League — now we need to stay there for the next few months.
Being at the summit going into 2014 brings new heights for the club but we believe we can stay there and I am sure there are other teams out there that also think we can too.
We are just looking at the next game in front of us, which is Manchester Giants away on Sunday (5pm), and if we win that then we will stay where we are.
The year finished with another comfortable victory, 102-72 over Birmingham Knights, and we have now got a team who are growing in confidence.
We are not having to rely on the three main guys — Will Creekmore, Zaire Taylor and Alex Owumi — any more because we have had some good performances from players off the bench.
In the early days, we had to rely on those three players while everyone else found their feet but, now players know what I expect from them, it takes the pressure off those three.
Daniel Belgrave, Caylin Raftopoulos and Calvin Morant-Hudson have all done well, while Kalil Irving has now got himself a starting spot.
I am really pleased with the way the whole team has developed.
The main thing now is to take every game as it comes. We really can’t afford any slip-ups and need to stay focused and have the whole team contribute.
Staying injury-free is also vital and we have still got Jamal Williams to come back which will help bolster the team.
We are hoping he can return for the Manchester game or, if not, for the following weekend against Durham Wildcats.
It is important for him to be 100 per cent when we bring him back and he’s doing everything he can to get back fit and healthy.
But, while the team are winning without Jamal, it gives us the luxury of not having to rush him. Looking at Sunday’s match, Manchester are very tough on their own floor and, when they came to us last month, scored 102 points and still lost the game.
I hope we can control their scorers a bit better but they are a good team and have some outstanding players, like Rob Marsden and David Aliu.
We have got to go there with the mindset to close down their shooters from the start.
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