USA - Eleven players named for NT squad

NEW YORK (Olympics) - The United States have named 11 of the 12 players that will represent the country at the 2012 Olympics and three are members of the WNBA champions Minnesota Lynx.

Maya Moore and Lindsay Whalen, players in the country's World Championship-winning side in 2010, and WNBA Finals MVP Seimone Augustus will compete in London.

Augustus represented the country at the 2008 Olympics but health issues prevented her from taking part in 2010.

Candace Parker has overcome injuries which kept her out of the 2010 squad and returned to action and she, too, has been named in the London team.

Parker played at the 2008 Olympics.

Swin Cash was not in the gold-medal winning Beijing Games squad but returned for the World Championship and has kept her place.

Sue Bird, Tamika Catchings, Tina Charles, Sylvia Fowles, Angel McCoughtry and Diana Taurasi are also in, with one place still available.

Asjha Jones and Candice Dupree did well for the United States at the World Championship but were not named on Friday, along with college basketball's biggest star, Baylor center Brittney Griner.

"While 11 players have been selected to be a part of the 2012 Olympic Team, some really, really good players are still in the mix for that final spot," USA coach Geno Auriemma said.

Jones is one of those players that still has a shot and she’s boosting her chances with a solid campaign in Europe with Spanish outfit Rivas Ecopolis.

This week, she has led her Madrid side to upsets of Galatasaray, Beretta-Famila Schio and Fenerbahce at the EuroLeague Final Eight in Istanbul.

On Sunday, Jones and Rivas will take on Ros Casares and Moore.

"Of the 11 that were named today, if we did not add a 12th player, I would feel pretty comfortable going over there with just 11 and thinking we could win the gold medal," Auriemma said.

"There's no doubt in my mind."

FIBA