HEAD coach Ty Shaw insists his players are “champing at the bit” to play in a “real basketball game” as Worcester Wolves host Manchester Giants tonight (Friday, 7.30pm).

It will be Wolves’ first British Basketball League fixture since losing 80-77 to Bristol Flyers two weeks ago.

Worcester crashed out of the British Basketball All-Star Championships in the double elimination stage last Sunday after scoring just 23 points in two 12-minute matches.

But Shaw did not reckon those sorry showings at the Copper Box Arena were a reflection of how his side’s preparations were going ahead this evening’s battle with Giants and Sunday’s trip to Surrey Scorchers (2pm).

“If the guys are bonding through sweat and hard work we have definitely done that,” Shaw said.

“It was a little bit like a (training) camp so it was a positive for us to have that extra week to get ready for the next set of matches.

“We should be fully-charged and ready to go.

“We have had a little bit of a break since an actual real basketball game so I think the guys will be champing at the bit raring to play tonight.”

Manchester have finished in the bottom two in the past three seasons but sit one place above Wolves in eighth position.

“I think rebounding is going to be the key,” Shaw said. “If we can clean that up it will change the game dramatically for us.

“I won’t start thinking about Surrey until about 10.30pm tonight. You can’t think about the next game in a league like this.

“We are going to be focus on this game and once that is over we will take a deep breath and then start preparing for the Surrey match.”

Wolves kicked off the season with a victory over Plymouth Raiders but that was followed by three successive defeats, losing to Cheshire Phoenix, London Lions and Bristol.

Shaw is hoping to welcome forward Terrel Martin-Garcia into the fold after an injury-hit start to the season while there is also a possibility new recruit Deshawn Freeman could arrive from America in time for this weekend’s double header.

Martin-Garcia, who signed in the summer, has yet to make a competitive appearance for Worcester due to a “sprain to his lower leg”.

“Terrell is coming along great,” Shaw said. “His rehab has been fantastic here at the university. He has been getting absolutely wonderful treatment from our physios, therapists and strength and conditioning staff.

“We are looking to have him (playing) either tonight or on Sunday.”