Myshkin takes 18 into Russia camp

MOSCOW (EuroBasket Women 2015) - Russia head coach Anatoliy Myshkin is working with 18 players at his team's camp in Novogorsk on the outskirts of Moscow as preparations start in earnest ahead of EuroBasket Women 2015.

The play-caller will be looking to veterans such as Irina Osipova and Marina Karpunina to help guide his team through to the latter stages of the Final Round, with Evgenia Belyakova likely to be the driving force having led the way in points, assists and steals during Qualification.

There are no naturalised players included, with Epiphanny Prince and Deanna Nolan having been named on the original long-list.

There are also no spots for the long-serving Olga Arteshina or Natalia Anoikina which throws up the situation whereby not a single player from domestic champions UMMC Ekaterinburg is at the training camp.

However, Myshkin has seemingly not completely ruled out the possibility of late changes to draft in those included on the initial 31-strong candidate list.

Some of the most exciting talents in Europe are on board and not least Maria Vadeeva. The standout center was MVP of the U16 European Championship for Women last year and despite her tender years, has played with such maturity in EuroCup Women and the Russian Premier League with Sparta&K M.R. Vidnoje that she could yet make the final cut.

She is joined by club colleagues Ksenia Tikhonenko and Daria Namok who stepped out last summer at senior level - but there is agony for another Sparta&K young gun in the form of teenage playmaker Kseniia Levchenko, who has not been given a berth.

EuroLeague Women Final Four participants Dynamo Kursk are the most strongly represented club at the camp with five Final Round hopefuls, while the roster also boasts a former EuroBasket Women MVP in Elena Kirillova who missed the event two years ago due to maternity leave, having led her country to the title in Poland in 2011 under her maiden name of Danilochkina.

"If you use the newfangled language of 'human chemistry' in the team, it's there and I like that they all like each other," declared Myshkin.

"Our family has gathered and we are ready to work.

"I also really like how the experienced players are looking after the young players with their warmth, objectivity, help and suggestions.

"The upcoming Championship will be interesting in its unpredictability.

"There will be a spur of real sporting interest and a powerful motivation due to the ability to qualify for the 2016 Olympic Games."

Russia preliminary squad for EuroBasket Women 2015: Tatiana Abriksova, Kristina Alikina, Elena Beglova, Evgenia Belyakova, Nadezhda Grishaeva, Marina Karpunina, Elena Kirilova, Marina Kuzina, Anastasia Logunova, Daria Namok, Olga Novikova, Irina Osipova, Anna Petrakova, Liudmila Sapova, Aleksandra Stolyar, Ksenia Tikhonenko, Maria Vadeeva, Natalia Vieru.

Go to eurobasketwomen2015.com for full coverage of EuroBasket Women 2015.

FIBA