No Funn any more - but it's Tabu

Worcester coach Skouson Harker faces a vital weekend in the BBL.

Worcester Wolves will have a new man in their line-up for their vital BBL games against Worthing Thunder at home and away at Cheshire Jets.

Veron Tabu has joined them from Belgium to replace Will Funn, who left the club this week.

Wolves head coach Skouson Harker had to move quickly to get his new man.

"Two days ago we had not heard of him," he told BBC Hereford & Worcester. "But we got him here, he's trained with us, and he looks a good player."

Tabu, 26, has European experience having played in the Fiba Cup for Dexia Mons-Hainut.

Harker was sorry to lose Funn, but had little choice in the matter.

"It was something off court we couldn't control, it was one of those things that came down to team rules, and it's something we want to stick to."

We just need to concentrate and stay disciplined and focused and we should do well.

Worcester Wolves player-coach Skouson Harker

Another high-scoring encounter looks on the cards when Worcester Wolves host Worthing Thunder on Friday evening.

Harker told BBC Hereford and Worcester he expects another difficult game:

"They can really play well at times and they are very dangerous right now, as they are a few games off the playoff, they'll be giving it their all.

The sides have split the two games on the South Coast this season.

Wolves won 116-110 in November but, six weeks later, Thunder squared the series with a 121-111 victory.

The teams also met in the group stage of the BBL Trophy, Wolves winning 110-89 away from home before recording a 101-87 home victory in a "dead" game.

Harker says it is all about getting the game plan right and sticking to it.

"We just need to concentrate and stay disciplined and focused," he said. "And we should do well.

"Ryan Patton has played well against us every game thus far, so we will need to do a good job on him."

On Sunday the Wolves travel to Cheshire Jets and Harker says the game is vital to both teams.

"They are playing well at the moment," he said, "and this game is the biggest of the season for us thus far."

However, the Wolves play-caller is keeping his cards close to his chest when it comes to discussing the Jets' team.

"They have some experience and they have been pretty balanced lately, so we don't want to single anyone out."

Worcester Wolves take on Worthing Thunder at Worcester University on Friday (27 February, 1900 GMT) then travel to Cheshire Jets on Sunday (1 March, 1730 GMT).