The Russian women have been toughening up for the FIBA World Championship.

The European giants have played the Bison Basketball Club at their Novogorsk training camp.

The Bisons are an amateur men's team.

"Due to the lack of practice games that we had before the World Championship, we have used unconventional methods to solve the problem," said new Russia coach Boris Sokolovsky.

Sokolovsky took the reins of the national team in early July when predecessor Valeri Tikhonenko stepped down because of concerns about his health.

"And I want to thank the President of the Bison, Borislav Gulyaev, and coach of the Moscow State Academy of Physical Culture Anatoly Laptev, because they came to meet us and helped us to organize it."

The Russia women encountered more girth and muscle than normal under the basket.

The Bisons out-rebounded them in their meeting, 48-32, but the numbers that mattered most were in the final score.

Russia's women won , 87-75.

The key quarter was the third when Sokolovsky's side outscored Bison 23-12.

Russia will take on Japan, Argentina and the hosts Czech Republic in Brno at the World Championship, which tips off on September 23.

Should they last deep in the tournament, showdowns with arguably the most physical teams in the international game, Team USA and Australia, will await.

Playing the Bison will not have hurt them in their preparations for those games.

There seems to be a certain edge to the Russia team heading into next month's big tournament.

National team captain Ilona Korstin, for one, expressed frustration after Russia's third-place finish at a friendly tournament in Slovakia earlier this month.

Brazil, Serbia and the Slovakians were the other teams that took part.

"To be honest, I didn't like to lose," she said.

"What is the difference that the tournament is friendly?

"I understand everything: the beginning of training and all that. The team, naturally, was not ready ... (but) we must fight in any situation."

It should be noted that Russia were not at full strength in that tournament with Maria Stepanova, Olga Arteshina and Irina Osipova not travelling with the team.

Sokolovsky is no stranger to the senior team.

"Previously, we have worked with Sokolovsky, but then he held the position of assistant," Korstin said, remembering the EuroBasket Women 2007 and the 2008 Olympics.

"He is a good coach. I know that he's qualified."

As for the possible changes in the way Russia will play under Sokolovsky, Korstin said: "The emphasis here is on defense and a quick game.

"We would like to show a powerful and athletic basketball."