BILL Cole is a doubt for Sunday’s game against Worcester Wolves at the Northgate Arena (5.30pm) after suffering an ankle sprain.

The latest in a catalogue of injury problems for the Jets has left Cole, described after Sunday’s derby victory over Mersey Tigers by John Lavery as the best defensive player in the BBL Championship, only 50/50 to be fit in time for the Jets’ latest crunch game.

He landed awkwardly on it early in the third quarter at the Northgate on Sunday as the Jets were building a lead over their near neighbours.

He was taken from the court and did not return to action. On Tuesday, the club physio diagnosed a medium sprain, which could have been much worse had he not been wearing an ankle brace already.

If he is missing this weekend it will be a blow, but the Jets proved they are capable of winning without him as they held on to secure victory and the head-to-head on Sunday.

“It was pretty tough having Bill go out in that second half but Nathan (Schall) came in and he stepped up,” said Jets forward Kai Williams.

“He was great on the defensive rebounds and he made some big plays for us.

“It was unfortunate Bill went down but at the same time we were fortunate to have Nathan to step up into that role and fill that void.

“It was a game we both needed and fortunately enough we were able to make enough plays at the end and make enough shots to pull it out.”

And Williams, a recent signing for the Jets, said if Cole was absent there was plenty of talent waiting in the wings to come in.

“It’s going to give other guys opportunities to step up and make plays,” he said.

“We can’t get too far ahead of ourselves, we just have to approach it day by day and game by game and we just have to stay within ourselves, focus on what we can do and control our own destiny.”

In the autumn phase of a long season that has seen the Jets suffer a number of injury problems, Williams said that the victory last weekend had given the Jets a little confidence to counter their tiredness.

“Physically the guys have been tired from a tough game,” he said. “But that little shot of confidence will help propel us in the coming weeks.”