HEAD coach Paul James reckons Worcester Wolves are playing for second place after conceding their British Basketball League title hopes are all but over.

Wolves are still second in the table, two points behind leaders Newcastle Eagles, but last Sunday’s 89-75 defeat at Cheshire Phoenix means the defending champions can open up a six-point gap by winning their two games in hand.

James, whose side visit Durham Wildcats on Sunday (4pm), said: “It’s a massive setback and, although mathematically it’s still possible for us to do it if Newcastle have a tremendous meltdown, realistically we are playing for a top-four place now.

“As a club we’ve never finished second in the league before so that’s a target and once it comes round to the play-offs, the higher seeded teams get an easier run.

“It was always going to be tough to go the rest of the season unbeaten, which is what we probably had to do to win the league while still having to rely on others beating Newcastle and Leicester.

“We’re disappointed but we can’t let it effect the rest of the season.