Twenty-three players, including nine Olympians, have been invited to trial for places in the New Zealand women's basketball team.
The Tall Ferns squad will leave immediately following the camp in Dunedin from August 22-25 for a three-game series in Japan.
Among those named in the squad are Angela Marino, Noni Wharemate, Micaela Cocks, Suzie Bates, Kate McMeeken-Ruscoe, Natalie Purcell, Lisa Wallbutton, Jillian Harmon and Jess McCormack, who all competed at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
An interesting newcomer in the mix is American Casey Lockwood, a former Princeton University player, who starred for Southland at last year's New Zealand Open championships and has applied for New Zealand citizenship.
Basketball New Zealand is still finalising the appointment of a head coach to replace Shawn Dennis, who resigned to take up an assistant's role with Australian club champions the Perth Wildcats.
The trial squad was selected by incumbent assistant coaches Kennedy Hamilton-Kereama and Aik Ho.
About half the triallists will have been in Dunedin for the previous three days contesting the women's National Basketball League finals.
New Zealand triallists:
Kim Barnes (US), Suzie Bates (Otago), Micaela Cocks (US), Phillipa Connell (Australia), Antonia Edmondson (Australia), Jillian Harmon (Italy), Amanda Harris (North Harbour), Jordan Hunter (Palmerston North), Zoe Kensington (Taranaki), Karlene Kingi (North Harbour), Casey Lockwood (US), Angela Marino (Australia), Jessica McCormack (Australia), Patrice McKenzie (Otago), Kate McMeeken-Ruscoe (Australia), Natalie Moore (Palmerston North), Natalie Purcell (Australia), Georgina Richards (Taranaki), Erin Rooney (Taranaki), Chelsea Terei (North Harbour), Jelena Vucinic (Taranaki), Lisa Wallbutton (Australia), Noni Wharemate (North Harbour)
