MAPUTO (FIBA World Championship Women) - Mozambique will be competing at the 2014 Lusophone Games in Goa, India, with a relatively revamped team.

The tournament runs from 18-29 January and marks the beginning of preparations for Mozambique ahead of the 2014 FIBA World Championship for Women.

Head coach Nasir Sale left out Catia Halar and Cecilia Henriques, who helped Mozambique finish runners-up at AfroBasket Women 2013 held in their capital city of Maputo, while Clarisse Machanguana has retired.

To complete the roster, Sale called up Ilda Chambe, Iliana Sheila Ventura and Amelia Macamo, who have represented the country in the past.

Chambe, who played college basketball at the University of Texas El Paso, helped Mozambique claim a bronze at the 2004 U18 FIBA African Championship held in Ben Arous, Tunisia, where she was the leading rebounder in the tournament with 11.4 boards per game.

Macamo has contributed for Mozambique's bronze medal at AfroBasket Women 2005 held in Nigeria, and 23-year-old Ventura has competed at the 2012 Olympic Qualifying Tournament Women held in Ankara, Turkey.

Ventura played five minutes against Korea, contributing five points.

Mozambique will make their debut at the FIBA World Championship for Women later this year (27 September-5 October) in Turkey, and coach Sale is making sure to get the homework done on time.

"We need to get a competitive rhythm, and I am hoping these players are able to respond positively to our load work," he said.

"One of objectives at the Lusophone Games is to give the new players some chemistry and integrate with the rest of the team.

"The other objective is to go as far as they allow us in the tournament."

The tournament will gather Portuguese-speaking countries, as well as nations where there are significant Portuguese speaking communities or that have a common past with Portugal. Mozambique will compete against Angola, Brazil, Cape Verde, Guinea-Bissau, Equatorial Guinea, India, Macau (China), Portugal, Sao Tome e Príncipe, Sri Lanka and East-Timor.

For full coverage of the games  go to www.lusofoniagames2014.gov.in/.

FIBA