SARAJEVO (FIBA U18 European Championship 2017) – Having celebrated the country's maiden European title at the FIBA U16 European Championship 2015 in Kaunas, Bosnia and Herzegovina will attempt to replicate their success at the FIBA U18 European Championship 2017 in Slovakia.

That, however, will be no easy feat for a slightly new-look national team that will have to do without star man Dzanan Musa, who is not featured on a still talented 24-player preliminary squad announced by head coach Boris Dzidic.

Having earned MVP honors at the FIBA U16 European Championship two years ago after averaging 23.9 points, 9.0 rebounds and 6.3 assists in Bosnia and Herzegovina's golden run in Lithuania, the 18-year-old small forward is already expected to be an integral part of the senior side at the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2019 European Pre-Qualifiers, which will take place at roughly the same time.

In the absence of Musa, the extra burden will fall on the shoulders of power forward Njegos Sikiras and point guard Sani Campara, who played major roles on the team two years ago, with former even being named to the All-Tournament team.

However, Sikaras, who made his professional debut for Fuenlabrada this year, has been dealing with injuries the last couple of seasons, forcing the talented big man to miss both the FIBA U17 Basketball World Cup 2016 and the FIBA U18 European Championship 2016 last year in December.

Eight of the players named on the preliminary squad for this summer represented Bosnia and Herzegovina at the FIBA U17 Basketball World Cup, where the team finished sixth. Later in December, Campara and small forward Emir Cerkezovic also suited up for the Dzidic-coached FIBA U18 European Championship 2016 team in Turkey.

The gold at the FIBA U16 European Championship in 2015 went down in the country's history as the first international title for Bosnia and Herzegovina in a team sport. As such, it attracted quite a following back home, with the players greeted by over 50,000 fans gathered in the streets of Sarajevo upon return to the country's capital.

Bosnia and Herzegovina will play begin their FIBA U18 European Championship campaign in Piestany, where they will form Group D with France, Latvia and the hosts Slovak Republic.

FIBA