BRA - Magnano makes final cut

RIO DE JANEIRO (Olympics) - Brazil coach Ruben Magnano has announced a star-studded squad that he will take to the Olympics.

Among the newcomers to the team is naturalized guard Larry James Taylor Jr of Bauru.

The 1.85m Taylor, 31, hails from the United States and is among the most talented players in Brazil's top flight.

Other players who didn't feature in last year's FIBA Americas Championship squad that are going to London are Raulzinho, Leandro Barbosa, Anderson Varejao and Nene.

Lagun Aro point guard Raulinzho (Raul Neto), is the youngest player in the group at 19 years of age while the veteran is sharpshooter Marcelo Machado (Marcelinho) at 37.

Raulzinho played at the 2010 FIBA World Championship but was the last cut from the 2011 FIBA Americas Championship team.

In addition to Marcelinho, other lynchpins in the team that are headed to London are Marcelo Huertas, Alex Garcia, Tiago Splitter and Guilherme Giovannoni.

Marquinhos (Marcus Vinicius Viera De Souza) played for Brazil the past two summers and is headed to Britain, as well as Caio Torres, who competed last summer in Mar del Plata.

Augusto Lima, a 20-year-old power forward/center who competed in 2011 for the senior team, was the final player to be cut by Magnano.

Matheus Dalla had been training with the Brazilians and has been let go.

The team will leave Sao Paulo on Friday for Washington DC, where it will take on the United States in an Olympic warm-up game on Monday.

Nene, the 29-year-old center who is to play for Brazil for the first time since 2007, should feel right at home in the American capital since he plays for the Washington Wizards.

Brazil will then fly to Strasbourg, France, on Tuesday and 20 July take on Les Bleus in a friendly.

The following day, Brazil will go up against Australia - their first opponents in Group B at the London Games on 29 July.

Also in Group B, Brazil will square off against Great Britain, China, Russia and Spain.

Brazil squad for 2012 London Olympic Basketball Tournament for Men: Marcelo Machado "Marcelinho", Raul Neto "Raulzinho", Caio Torres, Larry James Taylor Jr, Alex Garcia, Marcelo Huertas, Leandro Barbosa "Leandrinho", Anderson Varejao, Guilherme Giovannoni, Maybyner Rodney Hilario "Nene", Marcus Vinicius Vieira De Souza "Marquinhos" and Tiago Splitter.

FIBA