Basketball at the 1956 Summer Olympics

Basketball

Basketball

Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...

 at the 1956 Summer Olympics

1956 Summer Olympics

The 1956 Melbourne Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XVI Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event which was held in Melbourne, Australia, in 1956, with the exception of the equestrian events, which could not be held in Australia due to quarantine regulations...

was the fourth appearance of the sport in Olympic competition. Fifteen nations, an unusually low number for the basketball tournament, competed in the event, with 174 participants. A total number of 56 games of basketball were played.

The teams were divided into four pools, with four teams in three of the pools and only three in the fourth. Every team played against each other team in its pool once. The top two teams from each pool advanced to the quarterfinals, where again they were split into pools of four. Teams again played every other team in their pool, with the top two in each advancing to the semifinal and the bottom two entering a pool for 5th through 8th places. Eliminated teams also played in consolation matches with the same structure as the quarterfinals and finals, but for 9th through 15th places.
The games were held at the Royal Exhibition Building

Royal Exhibition Building

The Royal Exhibition Building is a World Heritage Site-listed building in Melbourne, Australia, completed in 1880. It is located at 9 Nicholson Street in the Carlton Gardens, flanked by Victoria, Nicholson, Carlton and Rathdowne Streets, at the north-eastern edge of the central business district...

.

Medalists

Gold:	Silver:	Bronze:
Carl Cain Carl Cain Carl Cecil Cain was an American basketball player who competed in the 1956 Summer Olympics. Cain played collegiately at the University of Iowa.... Bill Hougland Bill Hougland William "Bill" Marion Hougland was an American basketball player who competed in the 1952 Summer Olympics and in the 1956 Summer Olympics. He was also a member of the Kansas Jayhawks' 1952 NCAA Men's Basketball National Championship team.He was part of the American basketball team, which won the... K.C. Jones Bill Russell Bill Russell William Felton "Bill" Russell is a retired American professional basketball player who played center for the Boston Celtics of the National Basketball Association... James Walsh Jim Walsh (basketball) James Patrick Walsh was an American basketball player.A 6'4" forward from Stanford University, Walsh competed at the 1956 Summer Olympics, where he won a gold medal with the United States national basketball team... William Evans William Evans (basketball) William Best "Billy" Evans was an American basketball player who competed in the 1956 Summer Olympics. Evans played collegiately at the University of Kentucky.... Burdette Haldorsson Ronald Tomsic Richard Boushka Richard Boushka Richard James "Dick" Boushka was an American basketball player who competed in the 1956 Summer Olympics. Boushka played collegiately at Saint Louis University.... Gilbert Ford Gilbert Ford Gilbert "Gib" Ford was an American basketball player who competed in the 1956 Summer Olympics. Mr.Ford played collegiality at the University of Texas.... Robert Jeangerard Robert Jeangerard Robert Eugene Jeangerard is a retired American basketball player who competed in the 1956 Summer Olympics. Jeangerard played collegiately at the University of Colorado.... Charles Darling Charles Darling (basketball) Charles Frick "Chuck" Darling was an American basketball player who competed in the 1956 Summer Olympics. Darling played collegiately at the University of Iowa....	Valdis Muižnieks Valdis Muiznieks Valdis Muižnieks is a retired Latvian basketball player.He played for ASK Riga and won 3 Euroleague titles and 4 national championships .... Maigonis Valdmanis Maigonis Valdmanis Maigonis Valdmanis was a Latvian basketball player. He was born in Riga.He played for ASK Riga and won 3 Euroleague titles and 4 national championships .... Vladimir Torban Stasys Stonkus Stasys Stonkus Stanislovas "Stasys" Stonkus is a retired Soviet present day Lithuanian basketball player who competed for the Soviet Union in the 1952 Summer Olympics and in the 1956 Summer Olympics. He was born in Telšiai. In 1954, he graduated from the Lithuanian National Physical Education Institute... Kazys Petkevičius Kazys Petkevicius Kazimieras Petkevičius was a Lithuanian basketball player who competed for the Soviet Union in the 1952 Summer Olympics and in the 1956 Summer Olympics. He trained at VSS Žalgiris in Kaunas and later at Burevestnik in Leningrad.He was a member of the Soviet team which won the silver medal. He... Arkadi Bochkarev Jānis Krūmiņš Janis Kruminš Jānis Krūmiņš was a Soviet Latvian center basketball player. Helped by his height , he was the first giant center dominating under the European baskets, for years... Mikhail Semyonov Mikhail Semyonov Mikhail Vladimirovich Semyonov , is a former Russian basketball player. As a member of the Soviet Union national basketball team he competed at the 1956 and 1960 Olympics, winning two silver medals.-References:... Algirdas Lauritenas Yuri Ozerov Viktor Zubkov Viktor Zubkov (basketball) Victor Alekseyevich Zubkov is a retired Soviet basketball player considered one of the most distinguished players of Soviet and European basketball in the '50s and '60s, who won two silver medals at the Olympics for the Soviet national team.... Mikhail Studenetsky	Carlos Blixen Carlos Blixen Carlos Blixen is a retired basketball player from Uruguay, who won the bronze medal with the men's national team at the 1956 Summer Olympics in Melbourne, Australia. Four years later he once again competed in the Olympics.-References:... Ramiro Cortes Héctor Costa Héctor Costa Héctor J. Costa Massironi was a basketball player from Uruguay, who twice won the bronze medal with the men's national team at the Summer Olympics: in 1952 and 1956. He competed in three consecutive Olympics for his native country, starting in 1952 .-References:* *... Nelson Chelle Nelson Chelle Nelson Chelle is a retired basketball player from Uruguay, who won the bronze medal with the men's national team at the 1956 Summer Olympics in Melbourne, Australia. Four years later he once again competed in the Olympics for his native country.-References:*... Nelson Demarco Nelson Demarco Nelson Walter Demarco Riccardi was a basketball player from Uruguay, who competed in three Olympics. At the 1948 Summer Olympics, Demarco and team Uruguay placed 5th in the Olympics. Demarco won a bronze medal at both the 1952 Summer Olympics and the 1956 Summer Olympics.-References:* *... Héctor García Otero Héctor García Otero Héctor García Otero was an Uruguayan basketball player, who twice won the bronze medal with the men's national team at the Summer Olympics: in 1952 and 1956.-External links:*... Carlos Gonzáles Sergio Matto Sergio Matto Sergio Armando Matto Suárez is a retired basketball player from Uruguay, who twice won the bronze medal with the men's national team at the Summer Olympics: in 1952 and 1956. He competed in three consecutive Olympics for his native country, starting in 1952 .-References:*... Oscar Moglia Oscar Moglia Oscar Aldo Moglia was a basketball player from Uruguay. He was Jewish. He won the bronze medal with the men's national team at the 1956 Summer Olympics in Melbourne, Australia. He was the tournament's top scorer at the 1954 FIBA World Championship.-External links:**... Raúl Mera Raúl Mera Raúl Mera is a retired basketball player from Uruguay, who won the bronze medal with the men's national team at the 1956 Summer Olympics in Melbourne, Australia. Four years later he once again competed in the Olympics for his native country.... Ariel Olascoaga Milton Scaron

Final ranking

Group A

TEAM	PTS	P	W	L	PF	PA
	6	3	3	0	300	122
	5	3	2	1	184	226
	4	3	1	2	171	224
	3	3	0	3	123	226

Group B

TEAM	PTS	P	W	L	PF	PA
	6	3	3	0	236	183
	5	3	2	1	255	177
	4	3	1	2	206	234
	3	3	0	3	154	257

Group C

TEAM	PTS	P	W	L	PF	PA
	6	3	3	0	238	187
	5	3	2	1	242	199
	4	3	1	2	216	249
	3	3	0	3	194	255

Group D

TEAM	PTS	P	W	L	PF	PA
	4	2	2	0	167	125
	3	2	1	1	137	134
	2	2	0	2	122	167

Group 1 (9-15)

TEAM	PTS	P	W	L	PF	PA
	6	3	3	0	218	189
	5	3	2	1	258	208
	4	3	1	2	200	215
	3	3	0	3	150	214

Group 2 (9-15)

TEAM	PTS	P	W	L	PF	PA
	4	2	2	0	147	123
	3	2	1	1	143	140
	0	2	0	2	130	157

Classification 13-15

Thailand's loss gave the nation 15th place.

• Singapore, BYE

Classification 13-14

Classification 9-12

Classification 11/12

Classification 9/10

Quarterfinal Group A

The top two teams from each group advanced to the Semifinal Round.

TEAM	PTS	P	W	L	PF	PA
	5	3	3	0	195	187
	5	3	2	1	221	209
	4	3	1	2	221	220
	4	3	0	3	204	225

Quarterfinal Group B

TEAM	PTS	P	W	L	PF	PA
	6	3	3	0	283	150
	5	3	2	1	208	209
	4	3	1	2	182	224
	3	3	0	3	192	282

Classification 5-8

Classification 7/8

Classification 5/6

Semifinals

Bronze medal game