TUNISIA confirmed its final roster for the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2019 in China on Aug. 17.

After almost two months of preparations, head coach Mario Palma trimmed the team from 16 to the final 12 players for the 32-nation World Cup.

Shooting guard Michael Roll, who has recently joined Olimpia Milano from Israel’s Maccabi Tel Aviv, and Dallas Mavericks’ center Salah Mejri, who both missed the last window of the World Cup African Qualifiers in December 2018 in Angola, return for Tunisia.

The North Africans, who are set to make their first World Cup appearance since 2010, will face Spain, Puerto Rico and Iran in Group C in Guangzhou.

In order to advance to the second round, Tunisia will need to finish in the first two places of their group.

Talking to FIBA.basketball, Mejri reflected on the importance of a good start to the tournament.

“We want to have the best campaign of an African team at a FIBA World Cup, and we know we can do so in China,” he said.

“We have a lot of experience, we aren’t scared of anybody and we have been working hard in the qualifiers and in the last couple of years to be in that stage and show what we can do.

“And that is what we are going to do in China. We want to get out of the group and go to the next round and be the best African team in the World Cup, and also try to reach our spot for the Olympics in 2020.”

If Tunisia advances to the second round, the side will be placed in Wuhan’s Group J against the top two places from Group D, which consists of Angola, the Philippines, Serbia and Italy.

Tunisia will open its group phase against Spain on Aug. 31, and the former Real Madrid big man, can’t wait to meet some familiar faces: “It’s going to be a very intense battle.”(FIBA)