1959 FIBA World Championship

1959 edition of the FIBA World Championship

International basketball competition

1959 FIBA World ChampionshipFIBA Campeonato Mundial de Baloncesto de 1959

Tournament details
Host country| Chile
Dates| 16–31 January
Officially opened by| Jorge Alessandri
Teams| 13
Venue(s)| 5 (in 5 host cities)
Final positions
Champions|  Brazil (1st title)
Runners-up|  United States
Third place|  Chile
Fourth place|  Formosa
Tournament statistics
Games played| 48
MVP|  Amaury Pasos
Top scorer|  James T. L. Chen
(20.1 points per game)

← 1954

1963 →

Brazilian stamp marking the team's victory

The 1959 FIBA World Championship was the 3rd FIBA World Championship—the international basketball world championship for men's national teams. It was hosted by Chile from 16 to 31 January 1959. Amaury Antônio Pasos was named the MVP.

The hosting cities for the competition were Antofagasta, Concepción, Temuco, Valparaíso, with the final stages held at the capital of Santiago.

The final games were supposed to be conducted at the newly constructed Metropolitan Indoor Stadium, but because the venue was not finished in time, competition was postponed by a year from the original date. Organizers moved outdoors to the Estadio Nacional de Chile, where the events were watched at by a crowd of at least 16,000.

## Competing nations

[edit]

Group A  | Group B  | Group C

|
|

Argentina
United Arab Rep.
Formosa
United States

Brazil
Canada
Mexico
Soviet Union

Bulgaria
Philippines
Puerto Rico
Uruguay

Chile – advanced automatically to the final round as host

## Competition format

[edit]

* Preliminary round: Three groups of four teams play each other once; top two teams progress to the final round, bottom two teams relegated to classification round.
* Classification round:
* First round: Two groups of three teams (A1, B2, C1 and A2, B1, C2) play each other once.
* Second round: Top teams from each group play for eighth, second placers play for tenth, and last placers play for twelfth.
* Final round: All top two from preliminary round group play each other once. The team with the best record wins the championship.

## Preliminary round

[edit]

### Group A

[edit]

Pos | Team  | Pld | W | L | PF | PA | PD | Pts | Qualification

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1  |  United States | 3  | 3  | 0  | 271  | 204  | +67  | 6  | Final round
2  |  Formosa | 3  | 2  | 1  | 207  | 209  | −2  | 5
3  |  Argentina | 3  | 1  | 2  | 197  | 202  | −5  | 4  | Classification round
4  |  United Arab Republic | 3  | 0  | 3  | 179  | 239  | −60  | 3

Source: FIBA archive
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) head-to-head points; 3) head-to-head goal average; 4) head-to-head number of points scored.

16 January

United States  | 87–73 |  Argentina

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Scoring by half: 48-27, 39-46

Concepción, Chile

16 January

Formosa  | 71–69 |  United Arab Rep.

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Scoring by half: 39-38, 32-31

Concepción, Chile

17 January

Argentina  | 65–52 |  United Arab Rep.

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Scoring by half: 36-32, 29-20

Concepción, Chile

17 January

United States  | 81–73 |  Formosa

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Scoring by half: 35-38, 46-35

Concepción, Chile

18 January

Argentina  | 59–63 |  Formosa

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Scoring by half: 33-31, 26-32

Concepción, Chile

18 January

United Arab Rep.  | 58–103 |  United States

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Scoring by half: 49-23, 54-35

Concepción, Chile

### Group B

[edit]

Pos | Team  | Pld | W | L | PF | PA | PD | Pts | Qualification

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|
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1  |  Brazil | 3  | 2  | 1  | 211  | 175  | +36  | 5[a] | Final round
2  |  Soviet Union | 3  | 2  | 1  | 229  | 199  | +30  | 5[a]
3  |  Canada | 3  | 2  | 1  | 169  | 174  | −5  | 5[a] | Classification round
4  |  Mexico | 3  | 0  | 3  | 173  | 234  | −61  | 3

Source: FIBA archive
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) head-to-head points; 3) head-to-head goal average; 4) head-to-head number of points scored.
Notes:

1. ^ a b c Head-to-head record: Brazil 1–1 (1.06 GAvg), Soviet Union 1–1 (1.00 GAvg), Canada 1–1 (0.94 GAvg)

16 January

Canada  | 52–69 |  Brazil

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|

Scoring by half: 24-30, 28-39

Temuco, Chile

16 January

Soviet Union  | 102–72 |  Mexico

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Scoring by half: 48-42, 54-30

Temuco, Chile

17 January

Canada  | 54–51 |  Mexico

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Scoring by half: 26-19, 28-32

Temuco, Chile

17 January

Soviet Union  | 73–64 |  Brazil

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Scoring by half: 39-36, 34-28

Temuco, Chile

18 January

Canada  | 63–54 |  Soviet Union

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Scoring by half: 32-23, 31-31

Temuco, Chile

18 January

Mexico  | 50–78 |  Brazil

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Scoring by half: 20-50, 30-28

Temuco, Chile

### Group C

[edit]

Pos | Team  | Pld | W | L | PF | PA | PD | Pts | Qualification

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|
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1  |  Bulgaria | 3  | 3  | 0  | 217  | 174  | +43  | 6  | Final round
2  |  Puerto Rico | 3  | 2  | 1  | 209  | 194  | +15  | 5
3  |  Philippines | 3  | 1  | 2  | 192  | 220  | −28  | 4  | Classification round
4  |  Uruguay | 3  | 0  | 3  | 181  | 211  | −30  | 3

Source: FIBA archive
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) head-to-head points; 3) head-to-head goal average; 4) head-to-head number of points scored.

16 January

Philippines  | 68–59 |  Uruguay

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Scoring by half: 36-31, 32-28

Antofagasta, Chile

16 January

Bulgaria  | 67–55 |  Puerto Rico

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Scoring by half: 37-16, 30-39

Antofagasta, Chile

17 January

Uruguay  | 64–78 |  Puerto Rico

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Scoring by half: 37-40, 27-38

Antofagasta, Chile

17 January

Bulgaria  | 85–61 |  Philippines

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Scoring by half: 36-21, 49-40

Antofagasta, Chile

18 January

Puerto Rico  | 76–63 |  Philippines

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Scoring by half: 39-32, 37-31

Antofagasta, Chile

18 January

Bulgaria  | 65–58 |  Uruguay

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Scoring by half: 31-28, 34-30

Antofagasta, Chile

## Classification round

[edit]

### First round

[edit]

#### Group D

[edit]

Pos | Team  | Pld | W | L | PF | PA | PD | Pts | Qualification

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|
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1  |  Philippines | 2  | 2  | 0  | 145  | 130  | +15  | 4  | Eighth place playoff
2  |  United Arab Republic | 2  | 1  | 1  | 136  | 135  | +1  | 3  | Tenth place playoff
3  |  Canada | 2  | 0  | 2  | 134  | 150  | −16  | 2  | Twelfth place playoff

Source: FIBA archive
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) head-to-head points; 3) head-to-head goal average; 4) head-to-head number of points scored.

21 January

Philippines  | 66–65 |  United Arab Rep.

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Scoring by half: 25-29, 41-36

Valparaíso, Chile

22 January

Canada  | 69–71 |  United Arab Rep.

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|

Scoring by half: 40-28, 29-43

Valparaíso, Chile

23 January

Canada  | 65–79 |  Philippines

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|

Scoring by half: 33-31, 32-48

Valparaíso, Chile

#### Group E

[edit]

Pos | Team  | Pld | W | L | PF | PA | PD | Pts | Qualification

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|
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|

1  |  Uruguay | 2  | 2  | 0  | 105  | 95  | +10  | 4  | Eighth place playoff
2  |  Argentina | 2  | 1  | 1  | 123  | 117  | +6  | 3  | Tenth place playoff
3  |  Mexico | 2  | 0  | 2  | 113  | 129  | −16  | 2  | Twelfth place playoff

Source: FIBA archive
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) head-to-head points; 3) head-to-head goal average; 4) head-to-head number of points scored.

21 January

Argentina  | 48–51 |  Uruguay

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|

Scoring by half: 19-22, 29-29

Valparaíso, Chile

22 January

Mexico  | 47–54 |  Uruguay

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Scoring by half: 20-25, 27-29

Valparaíso, Chile

23 January

Argentina  | 75–66 |  Mexico

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Scoring by half: 34-34, 41-32

Valparaíso, Chile

### Second round

[edit]

#### Twelfth place playoff

[edit]

25 January

Canada  | 64–56 |  Mexico

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Scoring by half: 33-25, 31-31

Valparaíso, Chile

#### Tenth place playoff

[edit]

25 January

United Arab Rep.  | 59–61 |  Argentina

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Scoring by half: 29-32, 30-29

Valparaíso, Chile

#### Eighth place playoff

[edit]

25 January

Philippines  | 78–70 |  Uruguay

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Scoring by half: 47-36, 31-34

Valparaíso, Chile

## Final round

[edit]

Pos | Team  | Pld | W | L | PF | PA | PD | Pts

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1  |  Brazil (C) | 6  | 5  | 1  | 472  | 382  | +90  | 11
2  |  United States | 6  | 4  | 2  | 370  | 378  | −8  | 10
3  |  Chile (H) | 6  | 2  | 4  | 393  | 444  | −51  | 8[a]
4  |  Formosa | 6  | 2  | 4  | 315  | 350  | −35  | 8[a]
5  |  Puerto Rico | 6  | 1  | 5  | 397  | 471  | −74  | 7
6  |  Soviet Union[b] | 6  | 5  | 1  | 365  | 264  | +101  | 10
7  |  Bulgaria[b] | 6  | 2  | 4  | 315  | 338  | −23  | 7

Source: FIBA archive
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) head-to-head points; 3) head-to-head goal average; 4) head-to-head number of points scored.
(C) Champions; (H) Hosts
Notes:

1. ^ a b Head-to-head record: Chile 1–0 Formosa
2. ^ a b FIBA demoted the Soviet Union and Bulgaria to the bottom two places after they refused to play against Formosa, forfeiting the game, due to political reasons.

20 January

Chile  | 86–85 (OT) |  Formosa

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Scoring by half: 35-27, 36-44 Overtime: 15-14

Santiago

21 January

Puerto Rico  | 55–84 |  Soviet Union

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Scoring by half: 29-26, 26-58

Santiago

21 January

Bulgaria  | 58–63 |  United States

|
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Scoring by half: 27-26, 31-37

Santiago

22 January

Brazil  | 94–76 |  Formosa

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Scoring by half: 56-35, 38-41

Santiago

22 January

Chile  | 83–71 |  Puerto Rico

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Scoring by half: 46-31, 37-40

Santiago

23 January

Brazil  | 62–53 |  Bulgaria

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Scoring by half: 30-28, 32-25

Santiago

23 January

United States  | 54–53 |  Puerto Rico

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|

Scoring by half: 25-32, 29-21

Santiago

24 January

Brazil  | 63–66 |  Soviet Union

|
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Scoring by half: 31-30, 32-36

Santiago

24 January

Bulgaria  | 76–71 |  Chile

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|

Scoring by half: 37-33, 39-38

Santiago

26 January

Formosa  | 69–85 |  United States

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Scoring by half: 32-33, 37-52

Santiago

26 January

Bulgaria  | 58–78 |  Soviet Union

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Scoring by half: 18-35, 40-43

Santiago

27 January

Formosa  | 81–85 |  Puerto Rico

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Scoring by half: 34-42, 47-43

Santiago

27 January

Chile  | 49–75 |  Soviet Union

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Scoring by half: 28-35, 21-40

Santiago

28 January

Brazil  | 99–71 |  Puerto Rico

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Scoring by half: 45-29, 54-42

Santiago

28 January

United States  | 37–62 |  Soviet Union

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Scoring by half: 14-25, 23-37

Santiago

29 January

Bulgaria  | 70–62 |  Puerto Rico

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|

Scoring by half: 35-25, 35-37

Santiago

29 January

Chile  | 55–64 |  United States

|
|

Santiago

30 January

Formosa  | 2–0 |  Soviet Union

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|

Santiago

30 January

Brazil  | 81–67 |  United States

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Scoring by half: 40-37, 41-30

Santiago

31 January

Bulgaria  | 0–2 |  Formosa

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|

Santiago

31 January

Brazil  | 73–49 |  Chile

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Scoring by half: 37-21, 36-28

Santiago

## Awards

[edit]

1959 World Championship winner

Brazil
First title
Most Valuable Player

Amaury Pasos

## Final standings

[edit]

Rank | Team | Record

|
|

1  |  Brazil | 7–2
2  |  United States | 7–2
3  |  Chile | 2–4
4  |  Formosa | 4–5
5  |  Puerto Rico | 3–6
6  |  Soviet Union | 7–2
7  |  Bulgaria | 5–4
8  |  Philippines | 4–2
9  |  Uruguay | 2–4
10  |  Argentina | 3–3
11  |  United Arab Republic | 1–5
12  |  Canada | 3–3
13  |  Mexico | 0–6

## Top scorers (points per game)

[edit]

1. James T. L. Chen (Formosa) 20.1
2. Juan "Pachin" Vicens (Puerto Rico) 19.7
3. Wlamir Marques (Brazil) 18.6
4. Jerry Vayda (USA) 18
5. Lio Jin Ron (Formosa) 16.7
6. Dick Welsh (USA) 16.4
7. Viktor Radev (Bulgaria) 15.25
8. Amaury Pasos (Brazil) 15.22
9. Jose Angel Cestero (Puerto Rico) 14.3
10. Evelio Droz (Puerto Rico) 13.7

## All-Tournament team

[edit]

Main article: FIBA Basketball World Cup All-Tournament Team

* Juan Vicéns
* Amaury Pasos (MVP)
* Wlamir Marques
* Atanas Atanasov
* Jānis Krūmiņš

[1]

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "World Championship 1959". Archived from the original on April 2, 2015.

## External links

[edit]

* FIBA official website
* EuroBasket.com FIBA Basketball World Cup Page
* FIBA profile
* Todor66 profile
* The-Sports profile
* Linguasport profile[usurped]

* v
* t
* e

FIBA Basketball World Cup

* History
* Awards
* Records
* Naismith Trophy

Tournaments|

* Argentina 1950
* Brazil 1954
* Chile 1959
* Brazil 1963
* Uruguay 1967
* Yugoslavia 1970
* Puerto Rico 1974
* Philippines 1978
* Colombia 1982
* Spain 1986
* Argentina 1990
* Canada 1994
* Greece 1998
* United States 2002
* Japan 2006
* Turkey 2010
* Spain 2014
* China 2019
* Philippines / Indonesia / Japan 2023
* Qatar 2027

Qualification|

* 2010
* 2014
* 2019
* 2023
* 2027

Finals|

* 2002
* 2006
* 2010
* 2014
* 2019
* 2023
* 2027

Squads|

* 1954
* 1986
* 1998
* 2002
* 2006
* 2010
* 2014
* 2019
* 2023

Final draw|

* 2014
* 2019
* 2023

Host bids|

* 2019
* China
* Philippines
* 2023
* Philippines–Japan–Indonesia
* Argentina–Uruguay
* 2027
* Qatar

Related topics|

* Team appearances
* Most Valuable Player
* Top Scorer
* All-Tournament Team
* Winning head coaches

* Category
* Commons

* v
* t
* e

Brazil squad – 1959 FIBA World Championship – Gold medal

* 3 Algodão
* 4 Amaury (MVP)
* 5 Wlamir
* 6 Boccardo
* 7 Senra
* 8 Brobró
* 9 Branca
* 10 Jatyr
* 11 Bispo
* 12 Nobrega
* 13 Picente
* 14 Blatskauskas
* Coach: Kanela

* v
* t
* e

United States squad – 1959 FIBA World Championship – Silver medal

* 4 Baker
* 5 Coshow
* 6 D'Antonio
* 7 Hodges
* 8 Jeangerard
* 9 McDonald
* 10 John Miller
* 11 Olsen
* 12 Riley
* 13 Vayda
* 14 Welsh
* 15 White
* Coach: Bennett

*[Pos]: Position
*[Pld]: Played
*[W]: Won
*[L]: Lost
*[PF]: Points for
*[PA]: Points against
*[PD]: Point difference
*[Pts]: Points
*[v]: View this template
*[t]: Discuss this template
*[e]: Edit this template