PARIS (FIBA World Championship for Women) - China are likely to tip off their challenge at the FIBA World Championship for Women as the second youngest team in the tournament after head coach Tom Maher confirmed his final roster for the event.

The Australian play-caller who is in his second spell at the helm of China having also led them to the last four of the Beijing Olympics in 2008, will bring a team to Istanbul which has only a handful of players over the age of 25-years-old.

His selection confirms the rebuilding programme which has been underway since both London 2012 and last year's FIBA Asia Championship for Women when the team lost the grip of their title to finish third in Bangkok.

From the team which suited up last year, Maher will not be relying on the services of Siyue Qiu, Jiacen Liu and Shuang Zhao, while Nan Chen has retired from the international game.

This means there are eight returnees from those who lined up in the Thai capital, with four new faces being welcomed into the party in Liwei Yang, Ting Shao, Huang Jing and Liting Zhang.

The quartet have made a big impression during China's extensive preparation programme which has been underway for many months and continues with a friendly tournament in Paris this weekend.

Song Gao looks likely to once again lead the team, having led the way in scoring and on the glass in Thailand last year - corralling 13.7 points and 6.6 rebounds per game.

The same can also be said of the highly-trusted Wen Lu, who was handed more minutes than any other player by Maher at the Asia Championship.

China will play in Istanbul against Group D opponents Angola, Serbia and United States.

China squad for FIBA World Championship: Liwei Yang (Guangdong), Xiaojia Chen (Jiangsu), Li Meng (Shenyang), Ting Shao (Beijing), Yanyan Ji (Heilongjiang), Wen Lu (Bayi), Feng Cheng (Liaoning), Huang Jing (Shanghai), Song Gao (Zhejiang), Mengran Sun (Bayi), Huang Hongpin (Guangdong), Liting Zhang (Bayi).

FIBA