Germany coach Dirk Bauermann has refused to predict glory for his side at the European Championship - and has instead set his sights on a top six finish.

Two years ago, Germany entered EuroBasket with high hopes of a medal and a place at the Olympics, but Henrik Dettmann's squad crashed out without even a sniff of the silverware.

But Dettmann's successor is not going to make the same mistake and is merely focused on qualifying for the FIBA World Championships.

"Our main aim is to qualify for the 2006 World Championships in Japan," said Bauermann after revealing his squad to tip-off the event against Italy on Friday.

Only the top six teams qualify for Japan and Bauermann knows his side have a lot of work on their hands just to make it to the quarter-finals, with Italy and Russia both favourites to progress from their group.

With only the top team in each group making it directly through to the last eight, second and third place and a play-off is perhaps the best Bauermann can hope for with the clash with Ukraine - the side Germany defeated twice in qualification - the game he hopes to pick up the points in.

Things get underway on Friday when Bauermann's injury-battered squad face one of the tournament favourites, Olympic silver-medalists Italy.

With Patrick Fermerling and Mithat Demirel missing much of the build-up due to injuries, Bauermann has been unable to pick a settled squad and the Italy match is likely to be the first time his first-choice selection will play together.

Definitely out of contention, however, is Ademola Okulaja, who has been omitted from Bauermann's 12-man final squad after failing to recover from an infected knee in time to prove his fitness, although Demirel has passed a final fitness test and will join the squad in Vrsac.

"We will miss Adi a lot with rebounds," said Dallas Mavericks giant Dirk Nowitzki, one of 24 NBA-based players at EuroBasket.

Nowitzki's form will be key to how far Germany go in Serbia & Montenegro, although Bauermann was once again keen to point out his team is not a one-man show.

"One player cannot win games all alone and if Dirk is marked well by opponents, other players will have to push themselves to the limits," he said.

Squad:
Mithat Demirel (Besiktas Istanbul), Stephen Arigbabu (ALBA Berlin), Robert Garrett (Navigo.it Teramo), Demond Greene (ALBA Berlin), Robert Maras (CSF Seville), Dirk Nowitzki (Dallas Mavericks), Marko Pesic (RheinEnergie Koln), Pascal Roller (Skyliners Frankfurt), Sven Schultze (Armani Milano), Denis Wucherer (Telindus Oostende), Patrick Femerling (Panathinakos Athens), Misan Nikagbatse (Vertical Vision Cantu).