STORRS (2016 Rio Olympics) - One benefit to having Geno Auriemma at the helm of the USA for a second straight Olympics is that he remembers everything that allowed the women's team to capture gold in London four years ago.

What may seem like little things to those on the outside are in fact very big things to Auriemma. Something that he highlighted after the conclusion of the USA women's training camp in late February was how crucial the selection process had been in 2012. A player he highlighted was Asjha Jones.

Asjha Jones (USA) won a world title in 2010 in Czech Republic and an Olympic gold medal two years later at the London Games

Though not as high-profile as players like Maya Moore, Tamika Catchings, Diana Taurasi or Sue Bird, just to name four, Jones, Auriemma said, was an essential component to a team that went undefeated in London.

I'm sure the general public and people look at it and say, 'put together the best all-star team that you can put together. Just go out and find the 12 leading scorers and throw them on the team and let's go.' That's not how you win championships. - Auriemma

"My priority is going to be, how do we put together a team of 12 players that best gives us the best opportunity to win a gold medal this summer. And that might be a player or two that you're not quite sure how they fit in and this summer you'll see how they fit in.

"Like in 2012, Asjha Jones played a crucial role in us winning. She was the 12th player added to that team and we wouldn't have won the gold medal without her.

"So for me, the number one priority and the committee [is], let's make sure we get the right 12.

"Any one of the 17, the 20, could be in that 12. And that doesn't mean the others aren't worthy or deserving. But we've got to get the right 12 and the sooner we do that, the better."

Auriemma says the three-day training camp was short but invaluable for a USA team that is gunning for a sixth consecutive gold medal at the Summer Games. Not only was he there watching the players, but so was the selection committee.

"I was really impressed with their (players') commitment, that they came a long way to get here,"  Auriemma said. "While they were here, they worked exceptionally hard to prove why they should make the team. No one came here and took it for granted that, 'I'm automatically on the team.'"

The Olympic Women's Basketball Tournament will be held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, 6-20 August.

FIBA