USA BASKETBALL HISTORY
USA MEN’S WORLD CUP TEAM 1967 RESULTS
MONTEVIDEO, URUGUAY • MAY 27-JUNE 11, 1967
Having assembled for only 10 days of practice at a Governors Island, New York, training camp, the U.S. relied on its depth in the tournament’s early going. Opening the preliminary round, the U.S. fought its way to victories over Italy, 67-56, Mexico, 75-65, and Yugoslavia 76-71. In the first game of the final round, the USA, led by Vern Benson’s 15 points and Pete Cunningham’s 12, defeated Argentina 76-66. The USA handled Uruguay, 88-53, as Stan McKenzie scored 17 points. Facing the Soviet Union next and looking for its sixth consecutive victory, the U.S. won 59-58 thanks to Mike Barrett’s 17 points, including the last six points and the game-winner with three seconds left. In a rematch with Yugoslavia, the U.S. would not be as fortunate as Yugoslavia held on for a 73-72 win. Leading by as many as 14 points in the second half, the U.S. lost three key players down the stretch to fouls. Trailing 73-71 with just two seconds remaining, the USA’s hopes for vic- tory were dashed when Vern Benson missed the second of his two free throws. Regrouping from the loss, behind 20 points from Al Tucker, the U.S. defeated Poland in the second half and sailed to a 91-61 win to keep its gold medal hopes alive. The USA, Soviet Union and Yugoslavia all entered the final day of competition with identical 4-1 records. If the U.S. defeated Brazil and the USSR beat Yugoslavia, the Americans would win the title. But Brazil served as the spoiler bettering the Americans, 80-71. The U.S. played catch-up from the outset falling to an early deficit that left them trailing 40-29 at half. Despite coming as close as three in the second half, the U.S. was never able to pull ahead. Meanwhile, the heavily favored Soviet team scored its first win over Yugoslavia to claim the title and the new solid gold World Championship cup bearing the name of Dr. James Naismith. Although the USA, Yugoslavia and Brazil all finished with 4-2 records, Yugoslavia was awarded second, Brazil third and the USA fourth based on results between the tied teams. Games were played at ‘The Cylinder,’ an 18,000 seat steel-and-concrete stadium. The stadium’s internal temperature hovered around 35 degrees. Blankets and electric heaters were supplied to benches to help keep the players warm during games
1967 USA MEN’S WORLD CUP TEAM ROSTER
1967 USA RESULTS (7-2)
NAME
POS HGT WGT AGE AFFILIATION (SCHOOL)
HOMETOWN
Italy
W, 67-56 W, 75-65 W, 76-71 W, 76-66 W, 88-53 W, 59-58 L, 72-73 W, 91-61 L, 71-80
Mexico
Mike Barrett Vern Benson Darel Carrier John Clawson
G G G G G C C F C F F F
6-2 6-0 6-3 6-4 6-2 6-5 6-5 6-9 6-9 6-6 6-8 6-8
160 160 185 200 180 205 205 219 215 230 190 190
22
U. S. Navy (West Virginia Tech) Akron Goodyears (Indiana State) Phillips 66ers (Western Kentucky)
Montgomery, WV
n/a
Yugoslavia Argentina
26 22 22 24 23 24 n/a
Bristow, KY Naperville, IL
University of Michigan U. S. Armed Forces New York University Notre Dame University
Uruguay
Darius Cunningham
Soviet Union Yugoslavia
Stan McKenzie
W. Hollywood, FL
Jay Miller
Goshen, IN
Charles Paulk Kendall Rhine Michael Silliman Albert Tucker
Northeastern Oklahoma Univ.
Poland
Rice University
Dupo, IL
Brazil
23 24 23
U. S. Military Academy Oklahoma Baptist University Chicago Jamaco Saints (Temple)
Louisville, KY
Jim Williams
Norristown, PA
FINAL STANDINGS
HEAD COACH: Hal Fischer, USAF (San Fransisco, CA) ASSISTANT COACH: Jim Gudger, East Texas State University MANAGER: Dave Gregg (AAU)
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.
Soviet Union (5-1) Yugoslavia (4-2)*
Brazil (4-2)*
United States (4-2)*
Poland (2-4)
1967 USA MEN’S WORLD CUP TEAM CUMULATIVE STATISTICS
Argentina (1-5)* Uruguay (1-5)*
NAME
G/S
FGM-A
PCT
FTM-A
PCT
REB
PTS
Mexico (5-0)
9. Italy (4-1) 10. Peru (3-2) 11. Japan (2-3) 12. Puerto Rico (1-4) 13. Paraguay (0-5) *Final standings determined by point differential between tied teams.
Carrier Miller Silliman Tucker McKenzie Rhine Benson Barrett Williams Clawson
9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 8 7 8 9 9
42-102 36- 90 28- 62 27- 60 22- 49 26- 48 19- 61 22- 58 16- 43 17- 30 7- 13 4- 14
0.412 21- 29
0.724 0.536 0.857 0.625 0.679 0.429 0.75 0.688 0.583 0.75 0.875
22/ 2.4 35/ 3.9 29/ 3.2 23/ 2.6 32/ 3.6 72/ 8.0 6/ 0.7 9/ 1.0 24/ 2.7 33/ 4.1 9/ 1.3 30/ 3.8
105/ 11.7 87/ 9.7 68/ 7.6 64/ 7.1 63/ 7.0 58/ 6.4 56/ 6.2 55/ 6.1 46/ 5.1 40/ 5.0 21/ 3.0 12/ 1.5
0.4
15- 28
0.452 12- 14
0.45
10- 16
0.449 19- 28 0.542 6- 14
0.311 0.379 0.372 0.567 0.538
18- 24 11- 16 14- 24
Cunningham
6- 8 7- 8
Paulk USA OPP.
0.286 4- 8
0.5
266-630 219-585
.422 .374
143-217 145-241
.659 .602
324/ 36.0 675/ 75.0 224/ 24.9 583/ 64.8
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