LJUBLJANA (FIBA Basketball World Cup 2019 European Qualifiers) - Slovenia have announced their 12-man roster for the upcoming FIBA Basketball World Cup 2019 European Qualifiers, featuring more than half of the title-winning team from FIBA EuroBasket 2017.

The new head coach Rado Trifunovic named seven players from the country's maiden continental conquest in Istanbul to represent Slovenia in the two qualification fixtures against Belarus and Spain.

"I believe the national team has enough quality and experience to open the Qualifiers with positive results," said Trifunovic, who replaced Igor Kokoskov in the hot seat after the historic triumph in September.

Having assumed a leadership role down the stretch in the Final of the FIBA EuroBasket 2017, Klemen Prepelic is now expected to have an even bigger role in the backcourt, with Jaka Blazic and Gasper Vidmar also acting as pillars of continuity.

The other gold medalists Vlatko Cancar, Ziga Dimec, Matic Rebec and Sasa Zagorac will be joined by a number of exciting up-and-comers Gregor Hrovat, Miha Lapornik, Luka Rupnik and Zan Mark Sisko.

The team also features a last-minute addition in Blaz Mahkovic, who had not been included on the 14-player squad that was presented to the public eye last week, but earned a roster spot after a change in circumstances regarding the availability of Zoran Dragic, Edo Muric and Jurij Macura.

"The team will be strengthened with Blaz Mahkovic, who has played very well in a Helios Suns jersey this season. He is a player who can help us in the small forward and power forward positions," coach Trifunovic explained.

The EuroBasket champions will begin their journey to the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2019 with a home fixture against Belarus on November 24 in Ljubljana before heading out to face European powerhouse Spain on the road in Burgos on November 26.

FIBA