WORCESTER Wolves Basketball Club can take a significant stride forward on two fronts in this weekend's double-header.

Wolves can stretch their lead in the National League Division Two when they take on Tamar Valley at University College Worcester tonight (7pm).

Then tomorrow they travel to Liverpool for their final Patrons Cup group match (3pm), knowing victory will guarantee them a semi-final place.

Wolves will be confident of victory over a Tamar Valley side who have yet to open their winning account, and who they beat convincingly in Plymouth back in October.

Player-coach Rick Solvason said: "They have made a few changes since we played them but if we continue to play the way we have been doing, we are not worried about who they have."

They go into Sunday's final group match knowing they will qualify for the semi-finals unless they lose by 37 points or more.

But Solvason added: "We are not really worried about the points. We want to go up there and win to keep us on our roll."

Wolves will be boosted by the return of recent signing Keith Jarrett following a trip to the United States, while American ace Ty Shaw should be fit to play the whole game, having been suffering from the after-effects of 'flu during last week's win over title rivals North-West London.

Solvason said: "Ty is fine and is up for it. He was under the weather last week but he came in and offered us what he could, and what was nice was that some of the other guys were able to come on and give him time where he needed a rest."

Solvason was delighted with last week's victory which took them clear at the top, describing it as "one of the best in the club's history."

He added: "They were a very good side and some of our guys weren't 100 per cent. In previous years once they went ahead we might not have been able to come back, but we showed a lot of character on the night and the atmosphere was brilliant."

Wolves face another crunch clash next Saturday when they entertain Westminster, who have now taken over second spot.