LUANDA (FIBA World Championship for Women) - Anibal Moreira on Thursday announced Angola's 20-player preliminary squad for the 2014 FIBA World Championship for Women.

The head coach has an unprecedented vast array of options, making it an intriguing experience for older and younger players both eager to make their debut in one of FIBA's flagship competitions.

Moreira called up seven players who helped Angola win the past two African Championships, named nine of 12 AfroBasket Women 2013 winners, including Catarina Camufal, Nacissela Mauricio and Ngiendula Filipe, who had originally been left out the team.

Although Rosa Gala, Merciana Fernandes and Helena Viegas are yet to play official games at the senior level, they have already displayed credentials to make it into the group of players that will represent the African champions at Turkey 2014.

Veteran Astrida Vicente was left out, while Madalena Felix has brought to an her playing career and Felizarda Jorge's future is still uncertain due to a knee injury.

Moreira and the 20 players will open their training camp in Angola's capital of Luanda on 4 August before traveling to Europe for the remainder of their world championship preparations.

"We will work hard in order to achieve the high level of competitiveness for the world championship," said Moreira.

"We have selected the players that we think are good enough to make us proud and show the good basketball we play in Africa."

The African champions will start playing their first warm-up games on 27 August when they take part in a four-team tournament in Limoges, France, along with the host nation, and the national teams of Mozambique and Brazil.

Before Moreira and his squad travel to Turkey, they are expected to play more preparation games in Spain, against the EuroBasket Women 2013 champions, as well as against Japan and Serbia, two teams that  will be holding their training camps in the southern European country.

Angola preliminary squad for 2014 FIBA World Championship for Women: Ana Goncalves, Fineza Eusebio, Luisa Tomas, Nacissela Mauricio, Sonia Guadalupe, Catarina Camufal, Clarisse Mpaka, Nadir Manuel, Ngiendula Filipe, Whitney Miguel, Helena Zumo, Leticia Andre, Rosa Gala, Angelina Golome, Elsa Eduardo, Merciana Fernandes, Rosemira Daniel, Helena Viegas, Artemis Barbosa and Mafalda Barcelos.

FIBA