MICK Donovan is pinning his hopes on a double mauling of Leopards and Mohawks as Worcester Wolves aim to cement their top four place in English Basketball League Division One.

Wolves face tough back-to-back fixtures this weekend, starting tonight against Essex and Herts Leopards at University College Worcester (7pm) before tomorrow's away venture at Teesside Mohawks (4pm).

With four league games left to play, successive victories are likely to book Wolves a place in the top four and give them home court advantage in the first round of the end-of-season play-offs.

Worcester's terrific five-game winning streak came to an end last Saturday, losing narrowly to leaders City of Sheffield Arrows 77-78, but the club's director of basketball is confident of a swift return to form.

Donovan said: "It's all very well saying we played well against Sheffield, but we were disappointed not to win. We let ourselves down in the third quarter and at this level, you can't have a bit of a lull and expect to get away with it.

"We've now got these two games and we've got to win both if we are to maintain our hopes of a top four finish.Essex they are fighting for their lives and they want to make the top eight.

"They are a quick athletic team but we expect to beat them at home.

"Teeside are stronger with a couple of really big lads. They are an organised side. We beat them convincingly at home earlier in the season but they have since played very well.

"They are in the same situation as us -- after a top four finish -- so they know they have got to beat us. But we are quite a fit team and I fully expect us to play our best in both games. If we win tonight, everybody will be buzzing for tomorrow's game."

Worcester's loss to Sheffield proved the first defeat for impressive point guard Matt Collins since he joined the club in mid-January

Donovan praised the input from Collins and added special praise for tall centre Barry Lamble, who notched 14 points against the Arrows.

"Barry Lamble has not really fulfilled his potential this season but he had a really good game offensively."

Essex & Herts Leopards travel to Worcester without Brandon Kephart after the American guard refused to return to the club following a trip back to the States.