FOUR defeats in five games might not give Worcester Wolves’ fans much cause for optimism ahead of the British Basketball League play-offs.

However, Ben Eaves insists their end of season form is “irrelevant” and says they are ready for their “do-or-die” quarter-final clash against Glasgow Rocks this weekend.

Wolves, who finished the season in fourth, will visit fifth-placed Glasgow on Friday (7.30pm) before facing them in the second leg at the University of Worcester Arena on Sunday (4pm).

The Rocks will no doubt be boosted after beating Worcester 80-69 at the Emirates Arena last weekend.

But Eaves believes the play-offs provide Worcester with a “fresh start” as they aim to recapture the crown they won in 2014.

“Anything that happens in the regular season is irrelevant for the top eight teams,” he said.

“It is do-or-die now and that’s what’s so exciting.

“Jay (Couisnard) and Pavol (Losonsky) won the play-offs with Leicester and PJ (Paul James) and Dizzie (Disraeli Lufadeju) won it a couple of years ago here and that’s the point we want to get back to.

“We have taken things step by step and now it is anyone’s game.”

Eaves wants to end what has been a frustrating first season at Wolves on a high having joined in the summer from Manchester Giants.

After a strong start, the 29-year-old suffered a big set-back in December when he sustained a broken thumb.

“It was a frustrating time, but it is the nature of being an athlete, so you have got to roll with the punches,” he said.

“My thumb was pinned to my finger while it was healing and then six weeks later they took the wire out. It was a weird injury.

“I had a cast on, so there was stuff that I could do in the weight room and I could still work the lower half of my body. That was a saving grace because that kept me in the fray. If I could not do any of that, I would have been completely removed from a lot of things.”

The Preston-born forward says he is focused on bringing success to the University of Worcester Arena.

“We were winning games and everyone was feeling pretty good before I got hurt and then Perris (Blackwell) went down with his foot problem,” he added.

“I think we have been hit with several things this season, but as we move into the play-offs it is a new opportunity for everybody on the team to come together and make a push.

“It doesn’t really matter what has gone before because I think every team has faced some adversity over the course of the season.

“It is a case of whoever deals with those the best and stays the most consistent comes out on top, so we have got to focus on that.”