TBLISI (EuroBasket 2015) - Georgia will be looking to capitalize for the second straight summer on the giant presence of Zaza Pachulia when they compete at EuroBasket 2015.

The 2.12m center, the driving force behind the national team's successful qualifying campaign last summer when he averaged 17.5 points and 7.8 rebounds, is one of several veterans in the 18-man preliminary squad.

The 31-year-old is coming off one of the best seasons of his 12-year NBA career, one in which he helped the Milwaukee Bucks clinch a spot in the play-offs.

Tornike Shengelia, another of Georgia's star players last summer, is in the squad and should line up for the Igor Kokoskov-coached team when it plays in Group C, in Zagreb, against Croatia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (MKD), the Netherlands, Greece and Slovenia.

Having been in the NBA, Shengelia returned to the old continent and had a successful year in the Turkish Airlines Euroleague.

Neither Pachulia nor Shengelia were able to play for Georgia two years ago when the EuroBasket was staged in Celje, Slovenia.

Viktor Sanikidze, who was out of action during the final three months of the club season due to injury, and guard Manuchar Markoshvili, who missed out on last summer's qualifying campaign, are in the preliminary squad.

Point guard Jacob Pullen, meanwhile, has received Georgian citizenship and is also included on the national team preliminary list.

Pullen joined EuroChallenge club Enel Basket Brindisi midway through the season from Baloncesto Sevilla and proved at the Italian club that his passing ability and long-range shooting are sharper than ever.

A group of Georgia players, not including Pachulia and Shengelia, will participate in an early mini camp in Tbilisi under their physical trainer Aleksander Cvorovic from 13 to 23 July.

The main stage of the Georgia's training camp is to commence on 24 July in Podcetrtek, Slovenia, where the team will remain until 9 August.

Kokoskov's men will play their first two warm-up games, both against Bosnia and Herzegovina on 5 and 6 August at the Slovenian resort.

Georgia will return on 10 August to Tbilisi, where from 14-16 August they are to host a four-nation tournament with Italy, Latvia and Estonia also taking part.

On 18 August they will depart for France to take part in a warm-up tournament in Roanne which will see them face France and Belgium.

The Georgians will conclude their preparations by facing Russia, American college basketball side Michigan State and Italy in a tournament in Trieste, from where they will take the short trip to nearby Zagreb on 3 September.

In the Croatian capital two days later, Georgia will face the Netherlands on opening day.

Georgia are set to make their third consecutive EuroBasket appearance.

Georgia preliminary squad for EuroBasket 2015: Beka Burjanadze, Mikheil Chochua, Nodar Gogodze, Giga Janelidze, Beso Lezhava, Manuchar Markoshvili, Nika Metreveli, Zaza Pachulia, Levan Patsatsia, Otar Pkhakadze, Jacob Pullen, Duda Sanadze, Viktor Sanikidze, Giorgi Sharabidze, Tornike Shengelia, Giorgi Shermadini, George Tsintsadze and Beka Tsivtsivadze.

Go to eurobasket2015.org for complete coverage of EuroBasket 2015.

FIBA