RIO DE JANEIRO (FIBA Basketball World Cup) - Sixteen players have an opportunity to stake claims for spots in Brazil's team for the FIBA Basketball World Cup after being included in the country's preliminary squad for the South American Championship in Venezuela.

The tournament is to be played 24-28 July in Isla Margarita, with four of the teams to qualify for the 2015 FIBA Americas Championship.

Several players named in this Brazil squad have already had roles in the senior team, including point guard Raul Neto.

A teenager in the side that played at the 2010 FIBA Basketball World Championship in Turkey and also a member of Brazil's London Games team, Raulzinho was a second-round draft pick by the Atlanta Hawks in 2013.

He plays for Rio Natura Monbus in Spain's Liga Endesa.

Spanish-based Rafael Luz (Rio Natura Monbus) and Rafael Hettsheimeir (Unicaja Malaga) are in the South American Championship preliminary squad.

Each has played for the Brazilians at the past couple of FIBA Americas Championships.

Jose Neto, who steered Flamengo to a FIBA Americas League and Brazil national league double this year, is the head coach of the South American Championship squad.

A couple of his Flamengo players, Vitor Benite and Cristiano Silva Felicio, are hoping to be in Isla Margarita and later Spain.

Neto will be an assistant to head coach Ruben Magnano when Brazil compete against Spain, France, Serbia, Iran and Egypt in the Group Phase of the FIBA Basketball World Cup later this summer.

"This (South American Championship squad) list was made by me and Ruben based on the observations of last season," said Neto.

"It is a group with experience in the Brazilian national team and with time bagged in international competitions."

Neto understands the need for the preparations to go smoothly because once the players who are selected arrive in Venezuela, they will have one game right after another.

"The competition is short, just five days, with three qualifying games and then two decisive games," he said. "Importantly, we will seek the title and one of the vacancies for the 2015 FIBA Americas Championship."

Brazil preliminary squad for South American Championship: George Frederico Torres Homem Chaia, Rafael Freire Luz, Raul Togni Neto, Ricardo Fischer, Vitor Alves Benite, Arthur Luiz Belchior Silva, Leonardo Simoes Meindl, Carlos Alexandre do Nascimento, Henrique Macia Alves da Cruz, Jefferson William Rodrigues Antonio, Jhonatan Luz dos Santos, Cristiano Silva Felício, Lucas Fernandes Mariano, Rafael Ferreira de Souza and Rafael Hettsheimeir.

FIBA