HEAD coach Paul James said Worcester Wolves’ break from competitive action came at just the right time as they prepare for a final assault on the British Basketball League.

Wolves’ players rested up last week after a run of six games in 14 days, which included three successive defeats.

Although high-flying Worcester finished the busy period on a high as they beat struggling Manchester Giants 83-70, James admitted his team looked “heavy-legged” and “jaded”.

The University of Worcester Arena side travel to Leeds Force on Friday in a rearranged fixture for the first of their remaining eight matches of the regular campaign.

And James said the time off the court had given his players the chance to recharge their batteries ahead of what he described as a “mini-season” before the play-offs.

“The last few weeks have certainly taken their toll,” he said.

“Also, when results are not going your way either, it can have even more of an impact but we have come through that period now.

“So we are now looking at the remaining eight games like a mini-season and it is important to try to win as many of those matches as we possibly can and then make a push in the play-offs.”

James said Wolves held a light shooting session last Wednesday but were looking to ramp up training this week ahead of the Leeds clash.

“It has been nice to have a break so players can rest some of their niggling injuries and have a couple of days off without a ball,” he said.

“But training is back to normal now in preparation for this next series of games coming up, which are all vitally important.”

Perris Blackwell and Ben Eaves have both returned in recent weeks following long lay-offs and James is hopeful of having an injury-free spell.

“We have had to adjust our game quite a lot recently and I don’t think we adjusted quick enough when Perris came back first of all and then Ben,” James said.

“When you have two players who are very influential coming back into the team, it means that other players’ minutes will go down, so it has been a matter of re-jigging.

“But the key thing for the players is that, whatever minutes they get, they need to make them productive.

“Everyone naturally thinks they can play 40 minutes at the top level but you just can’t.

“It is a case of working together and getting used to who is doing what, where and when, and then looking at their execution a bit more as we need to be more clinical.

“But I am delighted that we are getting everybody back now just at the right time this season moving into the play-offs.

“It is an exciting period for us now.”