PRAGUE (EuroBasket Women 2015) - Czech Republic national team head coach Lubor Blazek has turned back to veteran guard Veronika Bortelova to pull the strings for his side at EuroBasket Women 2015.

Having appeared in the final round two years ago in France when she played a significant role in helping her country to make it to the 2014 FIBA Women's World Championship, it looked like the point guard had called it a day and finished on a high.

However, despite not having stepped out in Turkey and due to celebrate her 37th birthday on the second day of the competition, Bortelova is ready to direct plays from the backcourt once again.

Her experience could be vital, since in addition to being without the services of the recently retired Eva Viteckova, there will also be no Petra Kulichova this summer.

The long serving center has withdrawn on health grounds and that means coach Blazek must face up to the prospect of playing without two of his top three scorers from Ankara last year.

It opens a door for Kamila Stepanova to finally get a major tournament under her belt some seven years after signing off her youth career, with the center having just inked a deal to switch from Basket Landes to Toulouse.

A large chunk of the squad comes from EuroLeague Women champions ZVVZ USK Prague - with Katerina Elhotova, Jana Vesela and Ilona Burgrova likely to form the spine of the team, while newly crowned ZBL Finals MVP, Alena Hanusova could push for more court time than she has received at the last couple of tournaments.

Czech Republic will play in Group A against France, Montenegro, Romania and Ukraine.

Czech Republic preliminary squad for EuroBasket Women 2015: Beata Adamcova, Katerina Bartonova, Veronika Bortelova, Ilona Burgrova, Katerina Elhotova, Alena Hanusova, Romana Hejdova, Katerina Hindrakova, Barbora Kasparkova, Katerina Novakova, Tereza Peckova, Klara Pochobradska, Katerina Sedlakova, Michaela Stejskalova, Kamila Stepanova, Jana Vesela, Tereza Vyoralova, Petra Zaplatova.

Go to eurobasketwomen2015.com for full coverage of EuroBasket Women 2015.

FIBA