RUS - Sokolovskiy has five newcomers in squad for London

MOSCOW (Olympics) - The assessment process is over for Russia coach Boris Sokolovskiy, who on Friday announced the members of the country's 12-strong women's Olympic squad.

Seven players who competed in last year's EuroBasket Women gold medal winning side will play in London.

They are Olga Arteshina, Evgenia Beliakova, Elena Danilochkina, Ilona Korstin, Marina Kuzina, Irina Osipova and Becky Hammon.

Danilochkina was the MVP of the EuroBasket Women 2011 in Poland.

Veteran center Maria Stepanova of UMMC Ekaterinburg would have been in the squad had she not suffered a serious knee injury at the EuroLeague Women Final Eight in late March.

Among the additions are Natalia Vodopyanova, a 31-year-old forward who last featured for the Russians in a major competition at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

Natalia Vieru, who played for Russia at the 2010 FIBA World Championship but not at last year's EuroBasket, is back in the squad after a terrific campaign at Good Angels Kosice.

Nadezhda Grishaeva, Natalia Zhedik and Anna Petrakova will all play in a major tournament with the senior team for the first time.

Hammon hasn't been able to take part in any of Russia's preparations while she is in America playing in the WNBA.

The 35-year-old guard is averaging 16.2 points and 5.8 assists for San Antonio but will soon link up with the national team.

Russia are in Group B of the women's Olympic field and will have Preliminary Round games against Australia, Brazil, Great Britain, Canada and France.

The Russians are joint second with Australia in the FIBA Rankings for Women.

FIBA