AUCKLAND (2015 FIBA Oceania Championship) - New Zealand coach Paul Henare has named 22 players that could feature in the side that will compete against Australia in the FIBA Oceania Championship.

Among them are Isaac Fotu, Corey Webster, Thomas Abercrombie, Lindsay Tait and Mika Vukona.

The five were standouts in the Tall Blacks team that reached the Round of 16 at the 2014 FIBA Basketball World Cup.

Tai Webster, the starting point guard on last year's team who plays for the Nebraska Cornhuskers in American college basketball, and veteran Kirk Penney, are not available for selection right now.

Trials will be held 8-10 July in Auckland.

Among those named in the 22 are Tai Wynyard, Matthew Freeman and Samuel Timmins - recently crowned champions from the New Zealand team at the 2015 FIBA 3x3 U18 World Championships in Debrecen, Hungary.

Steve Adams, who now has two years of NBA experience under his belt with the Oklahoma City Thunder, is also on the list though he will not attend the first training camp that will be held in Auckland in July.

He remains an uncertainty to play for the Tall Blacks this year.

Perhaps more so than ever before we have good depth in most positions and a genuine rivalry just to get on to the Tall Blacks long list. - Henare

"We have a strong core group of players returning from the 2014 [FIBA Basketball] World Cup, with Mika, Corey, Tom, Rob [Loe], Isaac, Lindsay, Jarrod [Kenny] and Everard [Bartlett] all bringing that experience back to our program in 2016 at a vital time as we chance a place in Rio," said Henare, who earlier this year was named the successor to Nenad Vucinic.

On the subject of Adams, Henare said: "I have enjoyed the communication with Steven and we continue to talk to him and to OKC about his involvement in this series.

"In doing so, we have to understand his commitments to OKC and the NBA, all the more so given he has a new coach [Billy Donovan] to return to.

"Steven will be given all the time he needs to work through what his schedule looks like over the next few weeks."

The winner of the FIBA Oceania Championship, which is to be played 15 August in Melbourne and 18 August in Wellington, will clinch a spot in next year's Rio de Janeiro Games while the loser will be invited to the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament.

"Australia will be NBA laden and favorites for sure," Henare said. "I can't recall ever playing them when that wasn't the case.

"We understand that challenge but are ready to take it on and believe we can get the win across the two games and book a spot in Rio.

"That is our sole focus, we will prepare with that series in mind and be ready to give it our all in August."

After the trials, a preparation camp will be held in Napier, New Zealand, 11-18 July.

New Zealand will have a tour of Europe that will see them go up against Great Britain (25 July), Croatia (29 July) and Slovenia (30 July).

They will also take part in the Stankovic Cup in early August with China, Venezuela and Mexico also taking part.

New Zealand's final training camp will be in Auckland 11-13 August.

New Zealand preliminary squad for 2015 FIBA Oceania Championship: Thomas Abercrombie, Steven Adams, Duane Bailey, Everard Bartlett, Finn Delany, Isaac Fotu, Leon Henry, Shea Ili, Jarrod Kenny, Robert Loe, Jordan Ngatai, Dion Prewster, Ethan Rusbatch, Lindsay Tait, Reuben Te Rangi, Samuel Timmins, Mika Vukona, Corey Webster, Tai Wynyard, Matthew Freeman, Casey Frank and Izayah Mauriohooho Le'afa.

FIBA