Belgium are tuning up their squad for a first appearance in a European Championships since 1985.

The team from the low countries will test themselves for the first time this  summer in a friendly tournament in Lorient, France, this weekend with fellow  European Championship sides Poland, Slovakia and the French hosts serving as  competition.

There is plenty of young talent in the Belgium side, led by the hugely  talented Ann Wauters - twice voted Europe’s best player. Wauters, who has played for the Cleveland Rockers in the WNBA, is spending the summer playing in Korea and has yet to join up with the national team but she will be a force once she is in the group.

The 22-year-old centre’s finest moments have come in the French league with  Valenciennes, for whom she averaged almost 17 points a game this season in  the Euroleague.

UMMC Ekaterinburg denied her the ultimate prize in the when they beat her  side 82-80 in the title game, but she did her best with 18 points and six  rebounds.

Wauters was the chief destroyer in the semi-final against Bourges Basket with a 22-point haul.

The 6ft 4in (192 cm) star has been effective for Belgium, too. She averaged more than  17 points a game as her team finished second in their qualifying group.

Also in the 15-member group travelling to Lorient is captain Caroline de Roose, a small forward who plays professionally with Waregem.

Playmaker Kathy Wambe, a two-time MVP in Belgium who plays for French side Villeneuve, has like Wauters been selected by the WNBA by Detroit but she  has turned down the opportunity of playing in the United States for fear of aggravating knee problems.

Nele Deyaert is the group. She can play either a three or four, has played in France but is move to the Spanish league next season.

Dana Boonen, a French-based professional, will log minutes at centre this weekend. She is warming up for a season in Las Palmas next year.

Playmaker Anke De Mondt of Villeneuve - is looking to impress as she is not yet signed up to play next year.

Belgium have other centres travelling to Lorient: Candice Brus, Nathalie de Roeck,  Celine Maclot, An Plasman and Laurence van Malderen.

Forwards Sophie Charlier, Alexia Meas and Angel Boucquey, point guard Daphne van Dessel and Katrien Vercauteren are also on their way to France.

The most valuable player in the Belgian League, 26-year-old forward Marie-An Caers, has not made herself available for the competition while veteran Katia Torfs is unable to play because of a serious knee injury.