Russia names basketball team for London Games

MOSCOW - Moscow named the players who would participate in the upcoming Olympic Games in London, the Russian Basketball Federation (RFB) said Monday.

Twelve Russian sportsmen are to arrive in London on July 27, the opening day of the Olympics.

That dozen has not been altered since their participation in the qualifications tournament in Venezuela. Andrei Kirilenko and Timofey Mozgov, the two leading players who have NBA experiences, are selected for the national squad, said the RFB.

Russian male basketball team has been seeded into the Group B along with China, Brazil, Australia, Spain and host Britain. The Group A comprises Lithuania, Tunis, US, France, Nigeria, Argentina.

The Russian squad will play its first game in London against the hosts Britain on July 29, according to the RBF website. On July 31, they will battle with China.

Last Friday, Russia also confirmed the composition of its female basketball squad which has won bronze medal during Beijing Olympics in 2008.