WORCESTER Wolves gave their British Basketball League play-off hopes a massive boost with a double weekend success at Sheffield Sharks and then at home to Cheshire Jets.

Wolves moved themselves into a play-off position with their 83-97 victory over Sheffield.

Both sides traded baskets throughout the opening two quarters, but it was the Wolves who edged the score at 50-51 going in at the half.

The Sharks defence were very physical in their attempts to contain James Life and once again the referees were struggling to protect the BBL's top scorer.

Worcester head coach Skouson Harker was violently sick throughout the half-time period as he suffered from a reaction to pain-killers taken to combat an injured ankle. But he came out for the second-half and played until the final five minutes.

The second-half saw the Wolves begin to assert their authority on the game with a 7-0 burst mid-way through the third period to take the score out to 54-62.

Worcester continued to dominate the Sharks and led 64-76 going into the final quarter, the home side tried desperately to claw their way back into the game, and a 10-0 burst for the Sharks got the score back to 83-94 within the final minute, but the Wolves held on.

Antony Paez led all scorers in the game with 33 points for the Wolves, while Harker and Durant contributed 19 points. Durant also grabbed an amazing 20 rebounds.

A full house at the University of Worcester witnessed a nail-biting finish as Wolves beat hire Jets 117-107.

The win strengthened Worcester's eighth place. Paez (32) and Life (30) and Chuck Evans (22) combined to inspire the Wolves' win, while Durant followed his heroics from the previous evening with another double-double of 12 points and 18 rebounds.

Obazuaye opened the scoring for the Jets before Paez responded by getting onto the end of an 'alley-oop' to set the tone for the first quarter as the teams traded their way to a 30-32 lead for the visitors.

Chester guard Obazuaye added a further five points as the Jets recorded an early 10-4 burst for a 34-42 lead in the second stanza. A high-scoring quarter ended with the Jets leading 59-71.

But in an amazing third quarter there was a huge 19-point reverse as, Wolves restricted the Jets to just 10 points in the quarter. A pair of Paez free-throws capped a 10-0 burst at the end of the quarter as Wolves led 88-81.

Chuck Evans hit a series of crucial jump shots in the final quarter to cap a fine performance and wrap up the impressive victory.

After the game Harker said: "It was crucial to record wins against two teams that are fighting for the same spots as ourselves.

"The most satisfying aspect of the games has to be the character and fighting spirit that we are developing."

Wolves' director of basketball Mick Donovan said: "At no stage throughout the previous week did the coaching staff complain about the growing injury list, they simply dealt with the business in hand.

"Next week against the Scottich Rocks is a massive game."