Basketball at the 1968 Summer Olympics

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International basketball tournament

7th Olympic Basketball Tournament

Mexico City 1968
Tournament details
Olympics| 1968 Summer Olympics
Host nation| Mexico
City| Mexico City
Duration| October 13–25, 1968
Men's tournament
Teams| 16
| Medals

Gold medalists |  United States
Silver medalists|  Yugoslavia
Bronze medalists|  Soviet Union
Tournaments
| <- Tokyo 1964 |  Munich 1972 ->

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Basketball at the
1968 Summer Olympics

Tournament
| men
Squads
| men
Qualification
| men

* v
* t
* e

Basketball contests at the 1968 Summer Olympics was the seventh appearance of the sport of basketball as an official Olympic medal event. It took place at the Palacio de los Deportes in Mexico City, Mexico from October 13 to October 25, 1968. The United States defeated Yugoslavia to win their seventh consecutive gold medal in this sport, while the Soviet Union earned the bronze against Brazil.

The Americans' record of seven basketball gold medals in a row was matched by their women's team in 2021 when they won the 2020 Olympics and then broken by the women's team in 2024.

## Medal summary

[edit]

Gold: | Silver: | Bronze:

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United States (USA)
Mike Barrett
John Clawson
Don Dee
Calvin Fowler
Spencer Haywood
Bill Hosket
Jim King
Glynn Saulters
Mike Silliman
Ken Spain
Jo Jo White
Charlie Scott |  Yugoslavia (YUG)
Dragutin Čermak
Krešimir Ćosić
Vladimir Cvetković
Ivo Daneu
Radivoj Korać
Zoran Marojević
Nikola Plećaš
Trajko Rajković
Dragoslav Ražnatović
Petar Skansi
Damir Šolman
Aljoša Žorga |  Soviet Union (URS)
Anatoli Krikun
Modestas Paulauskas
Zurab Sakandelidze
Vadim Kapranov
Yuri Selikhov
Anatoli Polivoda
Sergei Belov
Priit Tomson
Sergei Kovalenko
Gennadi Volnov
Jaak Lipso
Vladimir Andreev

## Qualification

[edit]

Automatic qualifications were granted to the host country and the first five places at the previous tournament. Additional spots were decided by various continental tournaments held by FIBA plus two additional tournaments that granted two extra berths each.

Means of qualification | Date | Venue | Berths | Qualified

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Host nation |  |  | 1 |  Mexico
1964 Olympic Tournament | 11–23 October 1964 |  Tokyo | 5 |  United States
Soviet Union
Brazil
Puerto Rico
Italy
1967 Pan American Games | 24 July–2 August 1967 |  Winnipeg | 2 |  Cuba
Panama
1967 ABC Championship | 23 September – 1 October 1967 |  Seoul | 2 |  Philippines
South Korea
FIBA Africa Championship 1968 | 29 March–2 April 1968 |  Casablanca | 2 |  Senegal
Morocco
European Pre-Olympic Tournament | 25 May–3 June 1968 |  Geneva | 2 |  SFR Yugoslavia
Bulgaria
Pan-Continental Pre-Olympic Tournament | 26 September–2 October 1968 |  Monterrey | 2 |  Poland
Spain
Total |  | 16 |

## Format

[edit]

* Two groups of eight teams are formed, where the top two from each group compete for the medals in a knockout round.
* The remaining places are defined as follows:
* Fifth through eighth places are decided in a separate bracket between the third and fourth places from each group in a separate bracket.
* Ninth through sixteenth places are decided between the fifth through eighth places from each group in separate brackets.

## Squads

[edit]

For the team rosters see: Basketball at the 1968 Summer Olympics – Men's team rosters.

## Preliminary round

[edit]

The top two teams from each group advance to the semifinals, while the remaining teams compete for 5th through 16th places in separate brackets. Both group leaders, the United States and the Soviet Union advanced undefeated to the knockout stage.

### Group A

[edit]

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

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1  |  United States | 7  | 7  | 0  | 599  | 392  | +207  | 14  | Semifinals
2  |  Yugoslavia | 7  | 6  | 1  | 592  | 511  | +81  | 13
3  |  Italy | 7  | 5  | 2  | 562  | 539  | +23  | 12  | 5th–8th classification round
4  |  Spain | 7  | 4  | 3  | 557  | 548  | +9  | 11
5  |  Puerto Rico | 7  | 3  | 4  | 493  | 468  | +25  | 10  | 9th–12th classification round
6  |  Panama | 7  | 2  | 5  | 572  | 624  | −52  | 9
7  |  Philippines | 7  | 1  | 6  | 525  | 636  | −111  | 8  | 13th–16th classification round
8  |  Senegal | 7  | 0  | 7  | 383  | 565  | −182  | 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.

October 13

United States | 81-46 |  Spain

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Palacio de los Deportes, Mexico City

Italy | 91-66 |  Philippines

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Palacio de los Deportes, Mexico City

Puerto Rico | 69-26 |  Senegal

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Palacio de los Deportes, Mexico City

SFR Yugoslavia | 96-85 |  Panama

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Palacio de los Deportes, Mexico City

October 14

United States | 93-36 |  Senegal

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Palacio de los Deportes, Mexico City

Spain | 108-79 |  Philippines

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Palacio de los Deportes, Mexico City

Puerto Rico | 72-93 |  SFR Yugoslavia

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Palacio de los Deportes, Mexico City

Italy | 94-87 |  Panama

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Palacio de los Deportes, Mexico City

October 15

Senegal | 65-84 |  SFR Yugoslavia

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Palacio de los Deportes, Mexico City

Spain | 88-82 |  Panama

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Palacio de los Deportes, Mexico City

United States | 96-75 |  Philippines

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Palacio de los Deportes, Mexico City

Puerto Rico | 65-68 |  Italy

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Palacio de los Deportes, Mexico City

October 16

Philippines | 92-95 |  Panama

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Palacio de los Deportes, Mexico City

Spain | 86-62 |  Puerto Rico

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Palacio de los Deportes, Mexico City

Senegal | 55-81 |  Italy

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Palacio de los Deportes, Mexico City

United States | 73-58 |  SFR Yugoslavia

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Palacio de los Deportes, Mexico City

October 18

United States | 95-60 |  Panama

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Palacio de los Deportes, Mexico City

Senegal | 54-64 |  Spain

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Palacio de los Deportes, Mexico City

Philippines | 65-89 |  Puerto Rico

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Palacio de los Deportes, Mexico City

Italy | 69-80 |  SFR Yugoslavia

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Palacio de los Deportes, Mexico City

October 19

Panama | 69-80 |  Puerto Rico

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Palacio de los Deportes, Mexico City

Philippines | 80-68 |  Senegal

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Palacio de los Deportes, Mexico City

SFR Yugoslavia | 92-79 |  Spain

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Palacio de los Deportes, Mexico City

United States | 100-61 |  Italy

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Palacio de los Deportes, Mexico City

October 20

Panama | 94-79 |  Senegal

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Palacio de los Deportes, Mexico City

Italy | 98-86 |  Spain

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Palacio de los Deportes, Mexico City

SFR Yugoslavia | 89-68 |  Philippines

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Palacio de los Deportes, Mexico City

United States | 61-56 |  Puerto Rico

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Palacio de los Deportes, Mexico City

### Group B

[edit]

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

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1  |  Soviet Union | 7  | 7  | 0  | 642  | 408  | +234  | 14  | Semifinals
2  |  Brazil | 7  | 6  | 1  | 561  | 418  | +143  | 13
3  |  Mexico (H) | 7  | 5  | 2  | 493  | 443  | +50  | 12  | 5th–8th classification round
4  |  Poland | 7  | 4  | 3  | 473  | 504  | −31  | 11
5  |  Bulgaria | 7  | 3  | 4  | 456  | 478  | −22  | 10  | 9th–12th classification round
6  |  Cuba | 7  | 2  | 5  | 514  | 532  | −18  | 9
7  |  South Korea | 7  | 1  | 6  | 453  | 530  | −77  | 8  | 13th–16th classification round
8  |  Morocco | 7  | 0  | 7  | 355  | 634  | −279  | 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.
(H) Hosts

October 13

Brazil | 98-52 |  Morocco

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Palacio de los Deportes, Mexico City

Soviet Union | 91-50 |  Poland

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Palacio de los Deportes, Mexico City

Mexico | 75-62 |  South Korea

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Palacio de los Deportes, Mexico City

Cuba | 61-70 |  Bulgaria

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Palacio de los Deportes, Mexico City

October 14

Soviet Union | 123-51 |  Morocco

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Palacio de los Deportes, Mexico City

Poland | 77-67 |  South Korea

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Palacio de los Deportes, Mexico City

Brazil | 75-59 |  Bulgaria

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Palacio de los Deportes, Mexico City

Mexico | 76-75 |  Cuba

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Palacio de los Deportes, Mexico City

October 15

Morocco | 59-77 |  Bulgaria

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Palacio de los Deportes, Mexico City

Poland | 78-75 |  Cuba

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Palacio de los Deportes, Mexico City

Soviet Union | 89-58 |  South Korea

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Palacio de los Deportes, Mexico City

Mexico | 53-60 |  Brazil

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Palacio de los Deportes, Mexico City

October 16

Soviet Union | 81-56 |  Bulgaria

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Palacio de los Deportes, Mexico City

Morocco | 38-86 |  Mexico

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Palacio de los Deportes, Mexico City

Poland | 51-88 |  Brazil

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Palacio de los Deportes, Mexico City

South Korea | 71-80 |  Cuba

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Palacio de los Deportes, Mexico City

October 18

Morocco | 48-85 |  Poland

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Palacio de los Deportes, Mexico City

Soviet Union | 100-66 |  Cuba

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Palacio de los Deportes, Mexico City

South Korea | 59-91 |  Brazil

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Palacio de los Deportes, Mexico City

Mexico | 73-63 |  Bulgaria

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Palacio de los Deportes, Mexico City

October 19

Morocco | 54-76 |  South Korea

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Palacio de los Deportes, Mexico City

Cuba | 68-84 |  Brazil

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Palacio de los Deportes, Mexico City

Bulgaria | 67-69 |  Poland

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Palacio de los Deportes, Mexico City

Soviet Union | 82-62 |  Mexico

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Palacio de los Deportes, Mexico City

October 20

Morocco | 53-89 |  Cuba

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Palacio de los Deportes, Mexico City

Bulgaria | 64-60 |  South Korea

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Palacio de los Deportes, Mexico City

Mexico | 68-63 |  Poland

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Palacio de los Deportes, Mexico City

Soviet Union | 76-65 |  Brazil

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Palacio de los Deportes, Mexico City

## Knockout stage

[edit]

The much anticipated final between the United States and the Soviet Union would have to wait four years. Yugoslavia stunned the Soviets 63–62 in the semifinals. In the championship game the Americans had a slim 32-29 lead at intermission but put the game out of reach with a 22-3 streak to start the second half.

### Medal bracket

[edit]

| Semifinals (October 22)[1] | | | Gold medal (October 25) |

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|  |  |  | | |  |  |  |
| A1 |  United States | 75 | |
| B2 |  Brazil | 63 |
| | A1 |  United States | 65 |
|  |
| | | A2 |  SFR Yugoslavia | 50 |
| B1 |  Soviet Union | 62 |
| A2 |  SFR Yugoslavia | 63 | | | Bronze medal (October 25)
| | B2 |  Brazil | 53
| | B1 |  Soviet Union | 70

### Classification brackets

[edit]

5th–8th Place

| Semifinals (October 22) | | | 5th place (October 25) |

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|  |  |  | | |  |  |  |
| A3 |  Italy | 52 | |
| B4 |  Poland | 66 |
| | B3 |  Poland | 65 |
|  |
| | | B4 |  Mexico | 75 |
| B3 |  Mexico | 73 |
| A4 |  Spain | 72 | | | 7th place (October 25)
| | A3 |  Italy | 72
| | A4 |  Spain | 88

9th–12th Place

| Semifinals (October 23) | | | 9th place (October 24) |

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|  |  |  | | |  |  |  |
| A5 |  Puerto Rico | 71 | |
| B6 |  Cuba | 65 |
| | A5 |  Puerto Rico | 67 |
|  |
| | | B5 |  Bulgaria | 57 |
| B5 |  Bulgaria | 83 |
| A6 |  Panama | 79 | | | 11th place (October 24)
| | A6 |  Cuba | 91
| | B6 |  Panama | 88

13th–16th Place

| Semifinals (October 23) | | | 13th place (October 24) |

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|  |  |  | | |  |  |  |
| A7 |  Philippines | 86 | |
| B8 |  Morocco | 57 |
| | A7 |  Philippines | 66 |
|  |
| | | B7 |  South Korea | 63 |
| B7 |  South Korea | 76 |
| A8 |  Senegal | 59 | | | 15th place (October 24)
| | B8 |  Morocco | 38
| | A8 |  Senegal | 42

## Awards

[edit]

1968 Olympic Basketball Champions

United States
Seventh title

## Final standings

[edit]

Rank | Team | Pld | W | L

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|  United States | 9 | 9 | 0
|  SFR Yugoslavia | 9 | 7 | 2
|  Soviet Union | 9 | 8 | 1
4th |  Brazil | 9 | 6 | 3
5th |  Mexico | 9 | 7 | 2
6th |  Poland | 9 | 5 | 4
7th |  Spain | 9 | 5 | 4
8th |  Italy | 9 | 5 | 4
9th |  Puerto Rico | 9 | 5 | 4
10th |  Bulgaria | 9 | 4 | 5
11th |  Cuba | 9 | 3 | 6
12th |  Panama | 9 | 2 | 7
13th |  Philippines | 9 | 3 | 6
14th |  South Korea | 9 | 2 | 7
15th |  Senegal | 9 | 1 | 8
16th |  Morocco | 9 | 0 | 9

## References

[edit]

1. ^ 1968 Semifinals – Ref: El Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish)

## External links

[edit]

* Official Olympic Report

* v
* t
* e

Events at the 1968 Summer Olympics (Mexico City)

* Athletics
* Basketball
* Basque pelota (demonstration)
* Boxing
* Canoeing
* Cycling
* Diving
* Equestrian
* Fencing
* Field hockey
* Football
* Gymnastics
* Modern pentathlon
* Rowing
* Sailing
* Shooting
* Swimming
* Tennis (demonstration)
* Volleyball
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* Weightlifting
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* v
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* e

Basketball at the Summer Olympics

* FIBA
* FIBA World Olympic Qualifying Tournament

| Tournaments|

* 1896–1900
* 1904 (demonstration)
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* 1936
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| Men|

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|

Women|

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Qualifications|

| Men|

* 1960
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Squads|

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* 1936
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3x3 basketball

Tournaments|

| Men|

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Women|

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Qualifications|

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* List of venues
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* v
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* e

Summer Olympics men's basketball tournament winners

* 1936:  United States (USA)
* 1948:  United States (USA)
* 1952:  United States (USA)
* 1956:  United States (USA)
* 1960:  United States (USA)
* 1964:  United States (USA)
* 1968:  United States (USA)
* 1972:  Soviet Union (URS)
* 1976:  United States (USA)
* 1980:  Yugoslavia (YUG)
* 1984:  United States (USA)
* 1988:  Soviet Union (URS)
* 1992:  United States (USA)
* 1996:  United States (USA)
* 2000:  United States (USA)
* 2004:  Argentina (ARG)
* 2008:  United States (USA)
* 2012:  United States (USA)
* 2016:  United States (USA)
* 2020:  United States (USA)
* 2024:  United States (USA)

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