ZAGREB (2016 FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournaments) - Dario Saric, Mario Hezonja and Bojan Bogdanovic, three of Croatia's most famous players, are sure bets to be at July's FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament (OQT) in Turin.

In whittling down his preliminary squad to just 16 players, Croatia head coach Aleksandar Petrovic included each. That was no surprise.

What the veteran play-caller has done, however, is keep power forward Justin Hamilton as the lone naturalised player. Many had expected the coach to use the naturalised spot on a guard, either Oliver Lafayette or Dontaye Draper, but the coach instead looks set to use the spot on a big man.

A former Cibona Zagreb star who is now on the books of Valencia Basket, the 2.13m Hamilton was recently named to the Spanish ACB's Ideal Quintet.

Hamilton, if he does make the final roster, will add to a potent scoring line-up that is led by Bogdanovic. The sharpshooter was anything but last year when he made just 4-of-24 shots from long range. Petrovic will be hoping that Bogdanovic returns to the form which made him the team's best player at the 2014 FIBA Basketball World Cup.

Petrovic also still has 26-year-old Leon Radosevic of Brose Baskets Bamberg in the squad. A 2.08m power forward who featured for Croatia at the 2009 FIBA U19 World Championship, the Sisak-born Radosevic has yet to play for the senior team in a big tournament.

Veterans in the preliminary squad that are likely to make the final team and log significant minutes are Roko Ukic and Krunoslav Simon.

The leader in the Croatia side that reached the Final of last year's FIBA U19 World Championship in Crete, Greece, All-Star Five selection Marko Arapovic, is in the final 16. The KK Cedevita big man had some terrific performances last year, including one monster effort in a Semi-Final triumph over Turkey which saw him score 25 points and corral 15 rebounds. In his two games against the United States, Arapovic averaged 16 points per game and 9 rebounds per game.

KK Cibona's Ante Toni Zizic was also in last year's U19 squad and had 16 points and 9 rebounds in the team's first game against the USA but an injury limited him to just three appearances in the entire tournament.

Croatia will launch their preparations for the OQT on 8 June. The country took part in the 12-team OQT in Athens eight years ago and claimed one of the three places up for grabs to the Beijing Games.

At the OQT, Croatia are to face Tunisia and Italy in Group B. Greece, Iran and Mexico will play in Group A. Only the side that wins the OQT will clinch a spot in the Olympics.

FIBA