EVERY match in the BBL Championship is important at this stage of the season and when you add in the passion of a derby, you get a powder keg that could ignite the Cheshire Jets’ season at exactly the right time.

The Mersey Tigers return to the Northgate Arena on Sunday (5.30pm) to challenge the Jets for the head-to-head between the teams.

After three games whoever won twice will place above their rivals in the table should they finish level on points which could be the difference between making the play-offs or not.

Bill Cole is well aware of how important Sunday’s game is and he wants to see the Jets respond to that pressure, as they did in the last derby when they ended a seven-game losing streak.

“We’re kind of a streaky team and right now we’re on a bad streak so hopefully we can do what we did last time against the Tigers and use them to kick-start a run into the play-offs,” said the Illinois-born forward.

“We’re not stupid, we see the table, we know the other teams positions.

“They’re picking up their games but we’re still confident and anything can happen.

“Sunday is a derby game and even though it’s my first year I understand the importance of those.

“In the States we have that where just because you’re close it doesn’t matter where you are in the table. It’s going to be a cracker.”

Before the derby, the Jets travel to Plymouth tomorrow to face the Raiders again, just days after surrendering a nine-point lead in the fourth quarter to lose 88-79 at the Northgate Arena.

“It’s important to see where we were,” said Cole. “We were up going into the fourth quarter and we shouldn’t be intimidated by them.”

One of the key points from the defeat was the number of times former Jet Jeremy Bell went to the free throw line and Cole admitted the Jets had to work on earning more fouls.

“We have to have that attacking mindset, get to the basket and force the refs to call it,” he said.

“Besides Matt our team’s on the skinny side so I don’t think we’re going to be on the line as much as other teams but we have to force our way in there sometimes.”