HEAD coach Paul James is closing in on a new point guard for Worcester Wolves.

James has been scouring the market for a suitable player and is on the verge of sealing the deal.

Former Iowa Energy star Malik Smith was released by Wolves just three matches into the club’s British Basketball League campaign.

The point guard left Wolves in the wake of a crushing 88-54 defeat at fancied Leicester Riders — the Worcester club’s last outing.

James is now preparing his troops for Sunday’s important league trip to Manchester Giants (6pm).

He is hoping his target will arrive at the University of Worcester Arena at the beginning of November.

James said: “We have a shortlist of players and have been doing our homework.

“Now we have to make sure we get in the right player.

“We are hoping that by the end of the week to have had contracts sorted out and then it’s a matter of paperwork and permits being applied for.

“Once that has gone through we will announce the player we have decided upon.”

James said the search for a new guard had been thorough and had involved agents.

“The search has been good and we have had some good candidates to look at and, hopefully, we will choose the right one,” he said.

“We deal with the agents we know and have trusted over the years and, hopefully, we will have somebody coming in who will make an impact on the team.

“The players we have been looking at are American, although we did look at some European players.”

He added: “With your permitted players it’s a process and if it’s American they have to complete their part from the USA.

“It could be sorted within two weeks or it could be a month but it just depends how things go from the other end.

“We are keen to have it done because we would like to have someone in by the beginning of November.”