KAKANJ (2016 FIBA U17 World Championship) - Bosnia and Herzegovina began their preparations for the 2016 FIBA U17 World Championship with an exhibition victory over Egypt, despite being without one of their leading players.

Dzanan Musa scored 21 points to go with 8 assists and 4 rebounds while Sani Campara chipped in 11 points and 3 assists as the Bosnians beat Egypt 80-40 in a battle of U17 World Championship teams at the beginning of their preparations in Kakanj.

This (first preparation game) will not be the true image of our game, but we will see what we need to fix it and it will be of great benefit. Most of the players here except Njegos, so we have a very good atmosphere in the team. - Musa

The Bosnians are missing Njegos Sikiras - one of their main pillars from their huge success last summer in winning the 2015 FIBA U16 European Championship - after he was ruled out of the country's first appearance in a global event due to a long-lingering knee problem.

"It's a big blow for us. We will try out another game style to compensate for his absence. It will be very difficult but it is up to us to fight," said Bosnian coach Josip Pandza.

"This is a big problem for Njegos. The pain in his knee is too much so he decided for the maximum recovery. He dealt with pain the whole season and he even struggled with pain during the (U16) European Championship in Lithuania."

Sikiras was Bosnia's third leading scorer last summer with 14.2 points, its second-leading rebounder with 6.9 boards and also led the side with a team-high 2.0 blocks.

Bosnia and Herzegovina will be without Njegos Sikiras in Zaragoza

But Pandza will have to make do without Sikiras and the coach has named nine of the U16 European champions into the 16-man preliminary squad which began preparations on 23 May.

In addition to Musa and Campara, the other players back from the U16 team last summer are Adi Alikadic, Amar Barukcija, Emir Cerkezovic, Aljosa Jankovic, Srdan Kocic, Vedran Mirkovic and Lazar Mutic.

"We want to see in what condition we are in and what we need to fix. Now we have to deal with ourselves," Pandza said.

"Slowly we are beginning to be a real team because we have come together,” said captain and leader Musa, who was the MVP of the U16 European Championship last summer.

Ahead of the first game, Musa said: "This will not be the true image of our game, but we will see what we need to fix it and it will be of great benefit. Most of the players here except for Njegos, so we have a very good atmosphere in the team."

The Bosnians are drawn into Group D with France, Dominican Republic and Korea in their first appearance at the FIBA U17 World Championship.

The coach downplayed any high expectations for the team going into the tournament in Zaragoza from 23 June-3 July.

"We are not in a position to threaten anyone," he said. "My goal is to qualify for the Quarter-Finals of the competition. In the knockout stage, anything can happen."

Bosnia have a second warm-up game in Kakanj against Turkey on 26 May.

FIBA