TEL AVIV (FIBA EuroBasket 2017) - Israel have begun preparing for FIBA EuroBasket 2017 with 16 players training under coach Erez Edelstein.

Serving as a host nation for the event for the first time, the Israelis are champing at the bit already to start playing games.

"It's already hard for me to sleep at night, thinking about EuroBasket 2017," captain Omri Casspi said. "I'm very excited and so happy to begin this campaign. We're all united for one goal."

Casspi and numerous others from Israel's EuroBasket 2015 campaign are at the training camp, which began on Tuesday evening.

Someone that was not at the last EuroBasket because of injury was Yotam Halperin but he is now back to give the Israelis a veteran presence and a terrific shooter.

"I'm happy to be on the national team again after two years being out," he said. "The fact that EuroBasket 2017 will be here in Tel Aviv can give us the push we need, the players especially."

Israel have the home-court advantage but very difficult opponents. They will take on Ukraine, Lithuania, Georgia, Italy and Germany in the Group Phase with only the top four progressing to the Round of 16 which will be staged in Istanbul.

"It won't be easy, there will be hard days on the road but I'm looking forward to good days," Halperin said. "We have a chance to make people happy. This is the top of Israeli basketball right here, the best players, great coaching staff and I'll be looking forward to a good tournament."

Edelstein coached Israel at the last EuroBasket and the team did very well in Montpellier, winning games against Russia, Finland and Poland.

Every tournament is different, though. There are roster changes, new venues for games and also different rivals.

"We have six weeks to make ourselves ready and better every day," Edelstein said. "We will show that we have a strong, fighting team [and play] like we played at EuroBasket 2015.

"We played with passion and we played together, the way we play is more important than the result at the end. We will have the home fans with us and we hope it will help us."

FIBA