AfroBasket 2015 hosts Tunisia to open preparations with 24-player squad

TUNIS (AfroBasket 2015) - Tunisia head coach Adel Tlatli has announced a 24-player preliminary squad for training camp ahead of AfroBasket 2015 which will be played in the country's cities of Nabeul and Tunis from 19-30 August.

The 12 players who featured for Tunisia at AfroBasket 2013 are in the squad.

Despite their disappointing campaign two years ago in Cote d'Ivoire, Tunisia have veterans Slimane Radhouane, Marouan Kechrid, Amine Rzig and Salah Mejri - the MVP of AfroBasket 2011 - making up the core of their team for this summer's championship.

Tlatli has also call up French-born Driss Sami and Michael Roll, who is of American origin.

The Tunisia Basketball Federation has scheduled the last part of the training camp for the month of July. This will be a period that will see the team compete in an international tournament from 24-27 July alongside Romania, Netherlands and Finland.

In 2011, Tunisia won their first-ever AfroBasket title following a 67-56 defeat of Angola in the Final.

However, two years later, Mejri and his teammates finished a disappointing ninth.

Tlatli's men therefore are expected to approach the 16-team event on home soil with an avenging spirit, in their third time of hosting Africa's biggest basketball tournament after having done so in 1964 and 1987.

AfroBasket 2015 will serve as a qualifier for the 2016 Rio Games.

Tunisia's lone appearance at the Olympics came in 2012, as a result of them winning AfroBasket 2011.

The winner of AfroBasket 2015 will automatically qualify for next year's Olympic Basketball Tournament.

The teams that finish second and third will earn the right to compete in the 12-team FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament (OQT).

Tunisia have been drawn in Group A along with Uganda, Nigeria and Central African Republic (CAF).

Tunisia preliminary squad for AfroBasket 2015: Mohamed Abaasi, Omar Abada, Mohamed Ali Ben Ammar, Makram Ben Romdhane, Hamdi Braa, Ayem Bouzid, Zied Channoufi, Lassad Chouaya, Firas Fahyani, Youssef Gadour, Mohamed Mokhtar Ghayaza, Mohamed Hadidane, Saada Haytem, Marouan Kechrid, Nizar Knioua, Mourad El Moubarak, Salah Mejri, Omar Moulhi, Slimane Radhouane,Michael Roll, Amine Rzig, Driss Sami, Mehdi Sayeh et Ahmed Trimeche.

FIBA