FAMILIAR FACES FIGHT BACK TO MAKE STANDARD LIFE GB WOMEN'S FINAL 18

Heading into Surrey Sports Park to begin their Olympic preparations is a strong mixture of youth and experience, all players having earned their place over the last season to join the Standard Life GB women once again in their most vital year to date since the team's inception in 2006.

One such player is Sarah McKay who has fought back from injury for her inclusion in the squad this year. McKay made her GB debut in 2008 and during the Division A relegation play-offs of 2009 she featured prominently, scoring a career-best 20 points against Bosnia and Herzegovina. However, due to injuries she was forced to sit out the 2010 and 2011 international campaigns.

McKay commented on her return to the GB squad this year: "I am beyond excited about being included for GB's preparation camp this year. It is one step closer to the ultimate goal of the Olympics and this is what a lot of us have been working towards for over four years.

"I am now focussed on making the final roster. We are lucky enough to have the opportunity to get together soon which gives us time to prepare for the biggest summer ever."

Joining McKay in camp this year will also be GB Futures player, Georgia Jones who receives her long awaited recall to the senior team following stand out performances with the Futures team at the WUGs in China last summer.

The two players cut from the preliminary announcement are Stanford University player, Bonnie Samuelson and Sarah Naylor of the Sheffield Hatters.

British Basketball Performance Director, Chris Spice commented on the final 18 headed into preparation camp this summer: "We are very pleased to be able to announce the squad who have been formally invited to our preparation camp this summer. Selection this year has been more competitive than ever and it is great to see players like Sarah and Georgia returning to the team.

"Georgia was with the GB team from its inception in 2006 as a 16 year old and was a key player in our win which saw us promoted to Division A showing maturity beyond her years, so it is great to see her back with us once again. We look forward to welcoming all the players into camp to begin our preparations for this most exciting year."

Standard Life GB women's head coach, Tom Maher added: "The 18 players invited to attend Surrey Sports Park in May are a fantastic mix with some of the more experienced players leading the way with the younger talent coming through too.

"Everyone is coming to camp with great anticipation and ready to work hard to achieve our goals this year which is fantastic to see. After a historic year in 2011 we hope to build on our successes and make 2012 another year to remember."

By the end of the training camp period in Surrey the squad will have been reduced to 16 players before the final 12 are selected for the final team on the 22^nd June.

The final 18 players formally invited to British Basketball's training camp beginning on 5 May 2012 are:

Name	Home Nation	Current Club/College
DOMINIQUE ALLEN	England	Oral Roberts University, USA
ROSE ANDERSON	Scotland	UWIC Archers, Cardiff
KIM BUTLER	England	SK Cesis, Latvia
KATE BUTTERS	England	UWIC Archers, Cardiff
KRISTINA COLLINS	England	Simon Fraser University, Canada
STEF COLLINS	England	UWIC Archers, Cardiff
TEMI FAGBENLE	England	Harvard University, USA
STEPH GANDY	England	Sheffield Hatters
CHANTELLE HANDY	England	Athinaikos, Greece
GEORGIA JONES	England	Oral Roberts University, USA
JO LEEDHAM	England	Bulleen Boomers, Australia
SARAH MCKAY	England	Barking Abbey Leopards
JULIE PAGE	England	Torun, Poland
NATALIE STAFFORD	England	Sydney University Flames, Australia
AZANIA STEWART	England	University of Florida, USA
LAUREN THOMAS-JOHNSON	England	Sheffield Hatters
RACHEL VANDERWAL	England	University of Limerick, Ireland
JENEYA WADE-FRAY	England	UWIC Archers, Cardiff