PRAGUE (2016 FIBA U17 Women's World Championship) - Veronika Sipova was a leading light for Czech Republic last year and she looks set to be the driving force for her team when they take to the court at the FIBA U17 Women's World Championship.

She was the headline name as the Czech Federation revealed an initial candidate list of 22 players, which will be whittled down to a final roster ahead of the prestigious event next month in Zaragoza.

Czech Republic will arrive on a high and still buzzing from their momentous and historical first-ever U16 European Women's Championship Women title which they gleefully lifted in Matosinhos.

Czech Republic beat Portugal to the title at the U16 European Women's Championship

Sipova was a colossus at last year's landmark event and deservedly took her place on the All-Star Five after leading the champions to the summit with a team-high effort in both scoring and rebounding.

In fact all 12 players who captured the silverware are in contention and on the list - including Tereza Vitulova, who formed quite a formidable partnership in the paint alongside Sipova as she wowed the crowd with some fine shot blocking.

Vitulova made her presence felt in the paint in Matosinhos

Defensively, the team could once again need the intensity and quick hands of Karolina Sotolova, after she averaged 2.7 steals per game on Portuguese soil and that was the third best in the tournament.

Head coach Richard Fousek will continue to oversee matters and he was also at the helm of his nation at the previous edition of the FIBA U17 Women's World Championship when he took Czech Republic to the Semi-Finals in front of their own fans.

The Czechs will face Italy, Korea and defending champions USA this time around during the initial group phase.

Czech Republic 22-player preliminary roster for 2016 FIBA U17 Women's World Championship: Kristyna Brabencova, Ludmila Dudackova, Barbora Jindrova, Anezka Kopecka, Anna Kubickova, Isnelle Natabou, Kristyna Navratilova, Tereza Patockova, Julie Pospisilova, Natalie Raskova, Simona Ruzkova, Anna Rylichova, Adela Smutna, Karolina Szcotkova, Veronika Sipova, Karolina Sotolova, Eliska Stbetakova, Barbora Tomancova, Dominika Vasakova, Tereza Vitulova, Veronika Voraackova, Adela Vymazalova.

FIBA