PARIS (EuroBasket Women 2015) - France coach Valerie Garnier has trimmed her 24-strong preliminary squad to just 18 players ahead of the EuroBasket Women in Romania and Hungary.

Veteran guard Emilie Gomis, who has played for France's senior team since the EuroBasket Women 2003 in Greece, is among those to have been dropped for the tournament which tips off in June.

The 31-year-old had a knee operation 11 months ago but fought her way back to play for Les Bleues at the 2014 FIBA Women's World Championship.

She then sat out the first several months of this season to strengthen her knee before signing for Toulouse in mid-February.

Fatimatou Sacko, Laetitia Kamba, Virginie Bremont, Romane Bernies and Alexia Plagnard have also not been retained.

Olivia Epoupa, Valerian Ayayi and Aby Gaye, the three leading scorers from the French side that beat Spain 62-58 in the Semi-Finals at the 2013 FIBA U19 Women's World Championship to ensure France of their best-ever finish of second place at the event, are among the 18.

Both Epoupa and Gaye are on the books of Toulouse while Ayayi plays for Lattes Montpellier.

Other than Gomis, the other 11 members of the team that played at the World Championship in Turkey are still involved, including veterans Celine Dumerc, Endene Miyem and Sandrine Gruda.

France will play in Group A against Ukraine, Montenegro, the Czech Republic and Romania.

France 18-player preliminary squad for EuroBasket Women 2015: Johanne Gomis, Marielle Amant; Ingrid Tanqueray, Gaelle Skrela, Anael Lardy, Valeriane Ayayi, Diandra Tchatchouang, Helena Ciak, Endene Miyem, Paoline Salagnac, Celine Dumerc, Ana Maria Cata-Chitiga, Sara Chevaugeon, Aby Gaye, Olivia Epoupa, Sandrine Gruda, Sarah Michel and Isabelle Yacoubou.

Go to eurobasketwomen2015.com for full coverage of EuroBasket Women 2015.

FIBA