GUARD Caylin Raftopoulos is the new head coach of Worcester Wolves’ second team.

Raftopoulos was a member of Wolves’ British Basketball League (BBL) squad last season and has stepped into a new coaching role.

Wolves’ head coach Paul James said there had been plenty of applications for the the second-team coaching vacancy but Raftopoulos “ticked all the boxes”.

James said: “Caylin is stepping more into the coaching role for the second team.

“He’s a great person to be working with some of the young students in the second team.

“He understands the game and is technically very sound.

“It’s a new direction for Caylin who will be coaching more than he is playing.

“But he will still be working out with the BBL team and it’s an easier transition because he knows the way I want things both offensively and defensively and he can carry that across to the second team.”

James added: “The second team have had a couple of close defeats but, like the BBL team, they are practically a new team and I am really happy with the way they have started.

“As long as they keep working hard, the wins will come.

Caylin just seemed to be a perfect fit for the role and ticked all the boxes.”

Meanwhile, Wolves travel to Manchester Giants tomorrow (6pm) aiming for their third league win.

Wolves will be hoping to bounce back from a disappointing 88-54 defeat against Leicester Riders in their last league outing.

A much-changed Wolves started the season with an 80-69 home success against Glasgow Rocks and then followed it up with a last-gasp 78-76 win against Bristol.

James has a concern over Javier Mugica who picked up an injury last week and missed training sessions.

Giants’ centre Barry Webster is expected to add bite to the hosts after recovering from toothache which kept him out of their last match at Glasgow Rocks.