MARJON Plymouth Raiders' versatility will be key in back-to-back BBL Championship tests this weekend, says Gavin Love.

The Raiders coach takes his team to high-flying Worcester Wolves tomorrow (7pm) before perennial powerhouse Sheffield Sharks, who have suddenly fallen on hard times, visit the Pavilions on Sunday (4pm).

Love expects his guards' defensive quality to be vital against Wolves, while he believes his big-men's rebounding ability will be crucial against Sharks.

"This is where our versatility comes in," said Love. "We have a deep team and can play different styles of basketball – we can go big or we can go super quick."

Love added: "I know in my mind this weekend's games are going to be super different.

"Tomorrow's going to be a guard-orientated game.

"We want to shut down Worcester's three-point shooters and make them into a driving team.

"That puts a huge onus on Mike Ojo, James Jones and Jeremy Bell to play tough defence.

"On Sunday guys like Jamal Williams and Tomas Janusauskas could get more minutes, because we will need a lot of size on the floor to keep Sheffield off the boards."

Raiders are coming off their most dramatic win of the season, 188-186 on aggregate over Milton Keynes Lions in the BBL Trophy semi-finals.

Guard Jeremy Bell led Raiders, scoring 22 of his game-high 28 points in the final five minutes of the fourth quarter and overtime when they finally got on top.

Rookie guard Michael Ojo anchored Raiders' defensive effort by pinning down Lions' dangerman, and the BBL's current leading scorer, Demarius Bolds.

Raiders centre Paul Williams had 21 points and 13 rebounds in support.

"That's what Jeremy gets paid for," said Love of Bell's stunning finish.

"We gave him another shot in the fourth quarter and boy did he take it.

"He's the reigning league MVP, he's a fantastic player and at any given time he can go off like that.

"He's one of the very few players in the league who could've done what he did on Sunday."

Love, who said Bell will play this weekend despite continuing to suffer from a sore shoulder, added: "Jeremy's supremely talented and he carried us at the end on Sunday for sure.

"But we had so many great performances and on any given day for us there's going to be a player who's going to be talked about.

"That shows how versatile and deep we are this season, and that's what you need to be a top four team."

Raiders guard James Jones wishes they had not played so much brinkmanship in Sunday's dramatic second leg.

In mitigation, Lions put in a relentless effort and can count themselves unfortunate not to have progressed.

They would have if their guard Nuno Pedroso had converted either of the wide open looks he had at Raiders' basket in the final possession of the fourth quarter and again of overtime.

Jones, who had 10 points in 25 minutes on Sunday, said: "I enjoyed the final result and it was a great atmosphere, but we should never have been in that position and just scraped through.

"Obviously we would've liked it to have been more comfortable, but we have to be happy with the result."

Jones added: "Maybe the score on aggregate played on our minds and simply stopped us focusing on simply trying to win the game.

"We traded baskets at inopportune times and made key turnovers after we'd made a little run, but then let Milton Keynes back into the game."

Of Bell's late fireworks, Jones said: "Jeremy would probably be the first to say he wasn't at his best in the first half on Sunday.

"He sat out the third quarter, but he stepped up in a big way in the fourth when he made those shots to win us the game. That's what he can do."

Wolves are coming off back-to-back narrow defeats – 74-73 at Sharks and last weekend 102-100 at home to 15-1 league leaders Newcastle Eagles.

They snapped a run of six wins from seven for Paul James' team.

He said of the loss to Eagles: "We played really well. I don't think you will see a better game. It had everything – tough defence but even better offensive execution.

"It's not often you score 100 points and it's not enough to win. It was a classic."

Wolves were led against Eagles by 27 points from point-guard Sherrad Prezzie-Blue and 22 points apiece from shooting-guard Tommy Freeman and centre Richie Gordon. Wolves, on paper, hold the head-to-head in all competitions over Raiders this season, 3-2.

But in effect Raiders have knocked Wolves out of both the BBL Trophy and Cup this season, while going down to a late Prezzie-Blue basket in a 77-76 loss in Worcester in the only time they have faced them in the league on November 19.

James said: "When and if we have been able to match Plymouth inside, we have done well against them."

Love said: "We know Worcester inside-out.

"We know what they're going to do; they know what we're going to do. It's going to be a battle."

He added: "Their power-forward Kazlauskas causes us a lot of trouble and leads them in three-point percentage.

"He's a very tough cover for us, because he shoots the ball like a shooting-guard. It's incredible.

"Obviously Prezzie-Blue and Gordon are having outstanding seasons, and then Freeman can get hot and you're in trouble."

Sharks are coming off four defeats in their last five contests, capped by a 74-64 loss at 10-3 Leicester Riders last Saturday.

Forward Olu Babalola and centre Justin Dobbins led Sharks and shared 40 points, while Dobbins added 15 rebounds and point-guard Jimmy Langhurst completed six assists.

On Sunday, Sharks are set to be without their leading scorer this season and Great Britain shooting-guard Nate Reinking, who is averaging 17.2 points per game.

He has missed Sharks' last three games and is again set to sit out with a knee problem dating back to January 20.

Meanwhile, Sharks have been punished by the BBL on the court for off the court financial issues, which have seen them fall behind in payments to the league to meet the costs of Sky Sports coverage in 2011/12.

The league has effectively suspended players like Langhurst and player-boss Atiba Lyons in recent weeks.

It is unclear whether more sanctions will deplete a – minus Reinking – seven-strong roster on Sunday, because, naturally, neither Sharks nor the league are shouting about the matter from the roof tops.

Sharks general manager Sarah Backovic said: "We've incurred measures from the league, but we've met to rectify the issue."

Raider Jones remains wary of an opponent with such pedigree in the league and who only last season lifted the BBL Cup.

He said: "Sheffield may be having problems, but they'll always be tough.

"They're very strong inside with guys like Babalola and Dobbins, who can do damage."

Jones added: "I think we match-up with them well, but it's the second half of a back-to-back for us, so we need to find energy from somewhere on Sunday. I think with a shorter roster Sheffield's strategy will be to try and slow the game down. But we don't want to play to their strengths. We want to do what we do."