The Czech Republic continue preparations for September's EuroBasket without their two best players.

Jiri Welsch (pictured) and Lubos Barton, along with Maurice Whitfield, are training away from the main squad, who are doing physical work in the Czech town of Bedrichov.

As part of their tournament build-up, the Czechs are playing friendly games against F.Y.R. of Macedonia on August 2 and 3 in Opava, and two more against Finland on August 7 and 9 in Decin.

Coach Zdenek Hummel said: "Jiri Welsch is preparing with an individual plan in Malaga this week. He should join the team before the friendly games versus FYROM in Opava.

"Barton and Whitfield are preparing abroad with my approval and they will join the team before the next part of our preparation in Decin in two weeks.

"We will work on physical developing mostly, here in Bedrichov. We will have only two 'basketball training sessions during the whole training camp."

Hummel is looking to whittle down the squad as the tournament, to be held in Spain from September 3-16, draws closer.

"Four players who are here will not come to Opava and I  want to have only 13 players in our next training camp in Decin after that," he added.

"The friendly games versus FYROM should help me to choose the right players."

Czech Republic squad:
Guards: Maurice Whitfield (Perm), Pavel Benes (Nymburk), Stepan Vrubl, Daniel Gajdosik (both A PLUS Brno).
Forwards: Jiri Welsch (Malaga), Lubos Barton (Badalona), Ladislav Sokolovsky, Stanislav Votroubek, Michal Kremen (all Nymburk), Jaroslav Prasil (NH Ostrava), Jiri Cernosek, Lukas Kraus (both Liberec), Pavel Milos (Decin).
Power forwards, centers : Radek Necas, Petr Benda, Ales Chan (all Nymburk), Jakub Houska (Decin), Zbynek Pospisil, Petr Bohacik (both NH Ostrava), Ondrej Starosta (Zaragoza).