Morocco new coach Vujanic calls up 15-player squad for AfroBasket 2015

CASABLANCA (AfroBasket 2015) - Anton Vujanic, Morocco's newly-appointed head coach has shortlisted 15 players to take part in a training camp ahead of AfroBasket 2015.

Leading the pack of players is the country's top-ranked forward, Abdelhakim Zouita, who played a prominent role in the Moroccans' run to finish eighth in Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire.

Others players who featured at AfroBasket 2013 alongside Zouita include Reda Ali Harras, Soufiane Kourudu, Abdelali Lahrichi, Abderrahim Najah and Mustapha Khalfi.

Morocco's Basketball Federation has recalled the duo of Omar Laanani and Walid Dahmani, who last played for the national team at AfroBasket 2011 in Madagascar and AfroBasket 2009 in Lybia respectively.

Also among the players battling it out to be among the final 12 who will line out for Morocco in Nabeul and Tunis, Tunisia from 19-30 August are: Zakaria Ait Fatah, Mohamed Aboussalam, Mohamed Choha, Adil Elmaksoho, Youssef Ouharig, Hamza Zohouani and Badredine Azougu.

Vujanic, who has the target of getting the national team back on the podium of Africa’s biggest basketball tournament, is no longer a stranger to basketball on the continent having worked in Libya for several years.

Morocco last won the continental title in 1965 and had second-place finishes in 1964 and 1968 and third-place finishes in 1962 and 1980.

Before his appointment, the Dutch man was in charge of MCO Mouloudia Oujda basketball club in the Moroccan first division.

Morocco will add a French touch to their playing system following the appointment of Jade Fattouh - who has previously worked in the Netherlands and Serbia - as an assistant.

The Moroccans, who will be making their 19th appearance at AfroBasket, have been drawn in Group B alongside Senegal, Mozambique and defending champions Angola.

AfroBasket 2015 will serve as a qualifier for the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.

The team that will be crowned champions of the 28th African continental championship will earn automatic qualification for next year's Olympic Basketball Tournament at the Rio Games, while teams that will finish second and third will compete for an Olympic spot in the 12-team FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament (OQT).

Morocco preliminary squad for AfroBasket 2015: Mohamed Aboussalam, Badredine Azougou, Zakaria Ait Fatah, Mohamed Choha, Walid Dahmani, Adil Elmaksoho, Reda Ali Harras, Mustapha Khalfi, Soufiane Kourodu, Omar Laanani, Abdelali Lahrichi, Abderrahim Najah, Youssef Ouahrig, Hamza Zohouani and Abdelhakim Zouita.

FIBA