BRA - Zanon rolls out the Brazilian big guns

SAO PAULO (FIBA Americas Championship for Women/FIBA World Championship for Women) - Brazil head coach Luiz Augusto Zanon has turned to experience ahead of the upcoming FIBA Americas Championship for Women by bringing back a host of familiar names including WNBA star Erika Souza.

Zanon confirmed that with three precious spots for the 2014 FIBA World Championship for Women waiting to be taken in Xalapa, Mexico - where the FIBA Americas Championship will take place from 21 to 28 September - he was not ready to gamble potential participation in Turkey next year by fielding an inexperienced line-up.

Souza headlines a preliminary 16-name roster which also includes other players who didn't feature in their recent South American Championship for Women success, including Karla Costa, Adriana Pinto, Nadia Gomes and Patricia Ferreira.

Zanon confirmed: "We positively evaluated the project we started which was concerned with increasing the number of selected players and to give more players much more international experience - especially the younger athletes.

"But as we prepare to go to an international competition that will rank only the top three to go to the FIBA World Championship for Women, we decided that it was time to add some experience.

"With these five players, the team will be more consistent and once our place is guaranteed, we will be able to follow up the renewal process started this year."

The decision was endorsed by veteran playmaker Pinto, who already has four Olympic Games and four FIBA World Championship for Women events under her belt and is delighted to be able to continue contributing.

Motivation is very large in representing Brazil because for me, it is always an honour to play in the Brazilian national team," she explained.

"I'm ready to meet this new call and I feel very happy to be participating in this work being done by coach Zanon.

"He is a coach who knows women's basketball and I have only praise for the work he has been doing and it will be a very good experience for me.

"Let's fight for a spot (at the FIBA World Championship For Women) and then the FIBA Americas title!" added Pinto.

It looks increasingly likely that Souza will have to skip the first round of the WNBA play-offs with the Atlanta Dream, who look destined to make the post-season.

The player also had to miss out two years ago, when she even missed a game in the WNBA Finals in order to represent her country.

However, she won't be joined in Xalapa next month by another Brazilian WNBA player, Iziane Castro Marques, who was sent home on the eve of the London Olympics last summer and has not been handed a return by Coach Zanon.

FIBA