Portugal place trust in last year's core
LISBON (2016 FIBA U17 Women's World Championship) - Portugal have turned to the players who served them so well last year as they contemplate taking their historic place at their first-ever FIBA U17 Women's World Championship.
The bulk of the team heading to Zaragoza come from those who achieved their country’s greatest result at youth level when they reached the Final of the FIBA U16 Women’s European Championship 2015.
| Portugal 12-player roster for 2016 FIBA U17 Women's World Championship | |||
| Eliana Cabral | Susana Carvalheira | Maryam Chermiti | Constanca Goncalves |
| Ana Carolina Jesus | Beatriz Jordao | Catarina Lopes | Ana Ramos |
| Tess Santos | Luana Serranho | Mariana Silva | Claudia Viana |
All of the big-hitters from Matosinhos are now fully back on board, led by star trio Beatriz Jordao, Ana Ramos and leading scorer Mariana Silva who shot more than 52 percent from the field - much to the delight of the thousands of locals.
There is also space for the intense defensive capabilities of Luana Serranho and Maryam Chermiti who played seriously big minutes for head coach Agostinho Pinto.
Portugal have been thrown into Group D along with Brazil, Mali and neighbours Spain, who they beat for the first-time in a youth basketball game in last year's U16 European Semi-Final - one of the highlights of their entertaining and remarkable trek to the very last game of the tournament.
FIBA
