1977 Sofia, Bulgaria – Men

FINAL STANDINGS: 1. U.S.A. 2. U.S.S.R. 3. Czechoslovakia 4. CANADA 5. Cuba 6. Spain 7. Brazil 8. Bulgaria 9. Mexico 10. Poland 11. Yugoslavia 12. Hungary 13. Italy 14. Holland 15. West Germany 16. France 17. Israel 18. Turkey 19. Greece 20. Senegal 21. Japan 22. Belgium 23. Congo 24. Great Britain 25. Egypt 26. Zambia 27. Sudan 28. Denmark 29. Iraq 30. Syria 31. Kuwait

CANADIANS Wayne Allison (Hamilton, Ont.) Clifford Bell Thomas Bishop Varouj Gurunlian (Montreal, Que./Laurentian) Lars Hansen (Copenhagen, Denmark/Washington) Ross Quackenbush Martin Riley (Winnipeg, Man./Manitoba) Jamie Russell (Burlington, Ont.) Peter Ryan Tom Skerlak Michael Visser (Sudbury, Ont.) James Zoet (Uxbridge, Ont./Lakehead) Jack Donohue – coach Gary Howard – coach Edward Browne – manager Ray Jones – trainer

	POOL A	CAN	HUN	GRE	SYR	Record
	Canada	—–	79-59	71-43	102-32	(3-0)
	Hungary	59-79	—–	84-63	84-41	(2-1)
	Greece	43-71	63-84	—–	105-84	(1-2)
	Syria	32-102	41-84	84-105	—–	(0-3)
	POOL B	BUL	HOL	GBR	IRQ	Record
	Bulgaria	—–	97-65	103-58	162-49	(3-0)
	Holland	65-97	—–	76-50	139-72	(2-1)
	Great Britain	58-103	50-76	—–	78-53	(1-2)
	Iraq	49-162	72-139	53-78	—–	(0-3)
	POOL C	USSR	MEX	TUR	ZAM	Record
	Soviet Union	—–	111-62	107-70	83-60	(3-0)
	Mexico	62-111	—–	62-58	80-64	(2-1)
	Turkey	70-107	58-62	—–	69-50	(1-2)
	Zambia	60-83	64-80	50-69	—–	(0-3)
	POOL D	BRZ	GER	ISR	DEN	Record
	Brazil	—–	95-57	91-72	139-45	(3-0)
	West Germany	57-95	—–	77-70	86-41	(2-1)
	Israel	72-91	70-77	—–	97-40	(1-2)
	Denmark	45-139	41-86	40-97	—–	(0-3)
	POOL E	USA	POL	BEL	KUW	Record
	United States	—–	91-63	136-57	131-46	(3-0)
	Poland	63-91	—–	75-45	136-20	(2-1)
	Belgium	57-136	45-75	—–	89-29	(1-2)
	Kuwait	46-131	20-136	29-89	—–	(0-3)
	POOL F	SPN	YUG	SEN	EGY	Record
	Spain	—–	86-79	65-55	85-64	(3-0)
	Yugoslavia	79-86	—–	92-58	114-62	(2-1)
	Senegal	55-65	58-92	—–	75-68	(1-2)
	Egypt	64-85	62-114	68-75	—–	(0-3)
	POOL G	CUB	FRA	JPN	Record
	Cuba	—–	86-54	114-66	(2-0)
	France	54-86	—–	93-87	(1-1)
	Japan	66-114	87-93	—–	(0-2)
	POOL H	CZE	ITA	CON	SUD	Record
	Czechoslovakia	—–	106-89	116-65	120-42	(3-0)
	Italy	89-106	—–	115-64	99-56	(2-1)
	Congo	65-116	64-115	—–	77-63	(1-2)
	Sudan	42-120	56-99	63-77	—–	(0-3)
	CONSOLATION 25-30	EGY	SUD	SYR	IRQ	Record
	Egypt	—–	60-49	77-70	79-59	(3-0)
	Sudan	49-60	—–	74-72	57-41	(2-1)
	Syria	70-77	72-74	—–	60-59	(1-2)
	Iraq	59-79	41-57	59-60	—–	(0-3)
	CONSOLATION 25-30	CAF	DEN	KUW	Record
	C.A.R. (Zambia)	—–	64-52	110-30	(2-0)
	Denmark	52-64	—–	64-35	(1-1)
	Kuwait	30-110	35-64	—–	(0-2)
	CONSOLATION 17-24	TUR	ISR	JPN	BEL	Record
	Turkey	—–	84-77	76-67	69-54	(3-0)
	Israel	77-84	—–	96-63	105-70	(2-1)
	Japan	67-76	63-96	—–	66-59	(1-2)
	Belgium	54-69	70-105	59-66	—–	(0-3)
	CONSOLATION 17-24	SEN	GRE	GBR	CON	Record
	Senegal	—–	73-62	70-63	82-70	(3-0)
	Greece	62-73	—–	76-60	105-89	(2-1)
	Great Britain	63-70	60-76	—–	66-60	(1-2)
	Congo	70-82	89-105	60-66	—–	(0-3)
	CONSOLATION 9-16	YUG	HUN	ITA	HOL	Record
	Yugoslavia	—–	84-46	87-77	87-71	(3-0)
	Hungary	46-84	—–	75-69	76-56	(2-1)
	Italy	77-87	69-75	—–	77-71	(1-2)
	Holland	71-87	56-76	71-77	—–	(0-3)
	CONSOLATION 9-16	POL	MEX	GER	FRA	Record
	Poland	—–	94-78	78-69	116-73	(3-0)
	Mexico	78-94	—–	67-56	86-84	(2-1)
	Germany	69-78	56-67	—–	73-63	(1-2)
	France	73-116	84-86	63-73	—–	(0-3)
	MEDALS J	CAN	CZE	SPN	BUL	Record
	Canada	—–	66-63	70-61	77-68	(3-0)
	Czechoslovakia	63-66	—–	91-83	92-85	(2-1)
	Spain	61-70	83-91	—–	114-100	(1-2)
	Bulgaria	68-77	85-92	100-114	—–	(0-3)
	MEDALS K	USA	RUS	CUB	BRZ	Record
	United States	—–	129-96	94-78	103-81	(3-0)
	Soviet Union	96-129	—–	93-69	90-89	(2-1)
	Cuba	78-94	69-93	—–	88-44	(1-2)
	Brazil	81-103	89-90	84-88	—–	(0-3)

	29-31	Iraq 68 Kuwait 32
	25-28th	Egypt 70 Denmark 61
	25-28th	Central African Republic 69 Sudan 52
	21-24th	Belgium 69 Great Britain 61
	21-24th	Japan 89 Congo 77
	17-20th	Turkey 87 Greece 77
	17-20th	Israel 82 Senegal 61
	13-16th	Holland 69 West Germany 62
	13-16th	Italy 96 France 74
	9-12th	Poland 71 Hungary 47
	9-12th	Mexico 64 Yugoslavia 62
	5-8th	Cuba 67 Bulgaria 58
	5-8th	Spain 83 Brazil 80
	semi	Russia 73 Canada 68
	semi	United States 85 Czechoslovakia 69
	29th	Iraq 2 Syria 0
	27th	Sudan 66 Denmark 63
	25th	Egypt 79 Central African Republic 75
	23rd	Congo 54 Great Britain 50
	21st	Japan 51 Belgium 43
	19th	Greece 63 Senegal 56
	17th	Israel 70 Turkey 61
	15th	West Germany 74 France 67
	13th	Italy 82 Holland 63
	11th	Yugoslavia 94 Hungary 58
	9th	Mexico 59 Poland 57
	7th	Brazil 87 Bulgaria 85
	5th	Cuba 100 Spain 87
	Bronze	Czechoslovakia 74 Canada 67
	Final	United States 87 Russia 68

        In the opening match, 6-11 Lars Hansen, who’d spent the past season playing pro ball in Europe, scored 24 to lead Canada past Greece 71-63. The Canadians front line of Hansen, 7-1 Jim Zoet and 6-8 Jamie Russell dominate. Canada led 42-23 at the break. Hansen added 13 boards. Jamie Russell scored 13 and Mike Visser 8. Point guard Martin Riley was tenacious in defence and handled Greece’s pressure fairly well. “We were, much too big for Greece and we had too much

talent. But we’re not playing well as a team,” coach Jack Donohue told Canadian Press. He added that the team showed no ill effects of a 19-hour bus trip to Sofia from Ohrid, Yugoslavia. “It was supposed to be about seven hours. We were

three hours ahead of the Russian bus when we reached the border and the customs people held us up until the Russian team arrived. Then the Russians got ahead of us and the border guard who was riding on our bus – I think he was a border guard, but I know he had a gun — refused to let us off the bus. We wound up at the Sofia airport, not at the stadium. I

know we weren’t playing basketball at the airport. But finally, we got to where we were going. I know the officials of

the Games were not involved. They were very sorry. So were we. But it all worked out okay. We won.”

        Canada throttled Syria 102-32 as 11 of 12 players hit the scoresheet. Jim Zoet led Canada with 18 points and 13 boards. Tom Bishop scored 18, Tom Skerlak 14, Mike Visser 10 and Ross Quackenbush 10. Canada led 46-20 at the half and coasted. Coach Jack Donohue said his troops learned nothing in the game because they had difficulty concentrating, it was so easy to score. “Now that it’s over, it was an easy game. The score tells you that, but it was a tough game to play, especially for our big men.” Donohue said he had to treat the game as a workout. “I was happy with Wayne Allison and Varouj Gurunlian, who handled the ball well.” Varouj Gurunlian collected seven points, 5 boards and 4 assists in the final seven minutes. Reserve Wayne Allison also fared well, scoring 8. Canada used its starter only for 7 minutes. “After that, we shuffled everybody,” Donohue said. “We knew it would be a bad game to play because Syria doesn’t have much but at least it gave us something to work on in our practice session later.”

Lars Hansen scored 24, Jamie Russell 19 and Jim Zoet 18 as Canada pounded Hungary 79-59. Martin Riley was superb at the point. Canada led 42-35 at the half and romped.

In the U.S. v. Cuba match, which the Americans won 94-78, the score was tied at 46 when Cubans, for no evident reason, rushed the U.S. bench and a fight broke out. 6-9 center Jim Bailey was taken for treatment as U.S. officials alleged he was attacked by a Cuban player wielding a broken bottle. A spectator said a Cuban attacked coach Denny Crum.

        Canada finishes (3-0), advances to round two winner’s bracket semi-final pool.

        In opener of semi-final pool, Canada defeats Czechoslovakia 66-63. The match featured apparently questionable ‘students’ in the form of veteran Olympic stars Kamil Brabanec and Stanislav Kropilak. Waterloo’s Jamie Russell dominated as he scored 22 points. Lars Hansen added 19 and nabbed 10 boards. The teams were tied at 32 at the half. But with Martin Riley controlling the tempo beautifully, Canada moved ahead by 10 and then withstood a late rally to hang on for the victory. Brabanec led Czechoslovakia with 27 points. James Russell and Lars Hansen dominated the boards. Coach Jack Donohue said the pair, along with point guard Martin Riley, proved the difference against a team “that scared me to death. The Czechs run like an NBA team. Sometimes, they get a little wild, but they have been together a long time. I knew we would have to control the game and we did. But we got in trouble when the Czechs forced us away from our plan.” Starter Jim Zoet was in foul trouble early in the first half but was replaced by Tom Bishop, who scored four critical buckets down the stretch. Riley, a five-year member of the national team, played with poise and hit three long jumpers in a row in the first quarter to force the Czechs out of a zone. Canada led 14-4 but Donohue said it was clear they’d come back “The Czechs are too experienced for that.”

        Canada then methodically dissected host Bulgaria 77-68 before a frenzied ‘Universiade Hall’ crowd of 8,000. Lakehead’s Jim Zoet scored 29 points inside. Lars Hansen added 20. Canada held Alexander Golomeev, who’d played for McGill in 1970 and set scoring records in the Quebec university league, to 12 points. “Riley was the whole show if anybody can be in basketball,” said coach Jack Donohue. Riley played the whole game, only committed two turnovers in a slow-down, tempo ball control game. Canada slowed the game and dictated the tempo as they dumped Bulgaria to the boos and hisses of about 7,000 natives. Martin was spectacular in control the pace. Donohue also noted that “our big guys played well, and don’t forget Jamie Russell, because he does everything he has to, but [Tom] Bishop and [Peter] Ryan have the ability to come in and give us a few good minutes.”

        In the final match of round-robin play, Canada defeated Spain 70-61 in a sloppy affair. Canada led 30-21 at the half on the outside shooting of Lars Hansen and Mike Visser, who hit 5-6 from the floor and scored 12 points. Point guard Martin Riley suffered a charley horse with seven minutes to play and was forced out of the contest. Doc Ryan stepped in to run the offence. Canada committed 18 turnovers, Spain 22. Hansen led Canada with 24 points. Antonio del Corrall led Spain with 16. Hansen scored 14 in the second half. It was Canada’s six straight win of the tournament. Coach Jack Donohue became indignant when told Canada was assured of fourth place. “Three weeks ago, I’d have said fourth place was great. But I’m not interested in fourth place now. Fourth place means two losses and I don’t think we’ll lose two games.” Mike Visser scored 12, Jim Zoet 10 and Jamie Russell 10. Canada led 30-21 at the half but Spain hung around. “We aren’t that type of team (to blow other teams out) and Spain wants you to play careless basketball. It wasn’t neat but it counts.” Hansen was angered by a scuffle early in the second half and took command of the boards.

        Canada wins pool, advances to semi-finals.

        In the semis, the Soviets prevailed 73-68 after staving off several Canadian runs. Only a series of missed layups down the stretch prevented Canada from pulling the upset. Although hampered by his injury, Martin Riley scored 16 and led Canada brilliantly. The much shorter Soviet front line dominated the taller Canadians, 6-11 Hansen, 7-0 Jim Zoet and 6-7 Jamie Russell on the boards, collecting 11 offensive boards in the first half alone. Lars Hansen notched 21 for Canada. Jim Zoet added 17. Victor Petrakov paced the Soviet Union with 19. The Soviets methodically dissected Canada’s defence leading by 12 early in the first half. Hansen rallied Canada to within 43-40 at the half. The Soviets regained a double-digit lead in the second half but Canada rallied to within one before missing a chance to take the lead when Hansen missed two bunnies in the paint and Russell missed a layup, allowing the Soviets to regain control. “We didn’t do our thing,” said coach Jack Donohue. “But give the Russians credit. They came prepared not to let us do our thing. They made us play bad basketball, just as we helped make other teams play bad basketball in our earlier games. They got us in foul trouble. That hasn’t been happened to us.” Both Hansen and Russell fouled out down the stretch. The Russians shot .540 from the floor, while Canada hit .450.

        In the bronze medal match, Czechoslovakia avenged its round-robin defeat at Canada’s hands with a 74-67 victory. Brabanec scored 10 and Jiri Pospisil, Gustav Hraska and Zdenek Kos played with poise as Czechoslovakia moved ahead 35-28 at the half and withstood Canadian attempts at a rally. Martin Riley led Canada with 18, including 14 in the second half. Jamie Russell scored 19, and Lars Hansen 16, before fouling out with seven minutes to play. Jim Zoet added 4. Canada played “poor defence,” said head coach Jack Donahue. Canada trailed by seven at the half and was down 14 with eight minutes to play. Riley led Canada back to within one but Czechoslovakia eventually pulled away. Czechoslovakia took command midway through the first half with an 6-0 run. Canada pulled to within two with four minutes to play in the second half but faltered down the stretch. “I’m not disappointed at the total result,” said coach Jack Donohue. “We won six games and lost two and that’s the best we’ve done against competition this tough. This is the most talented group of players we’ve had in my five years in Canada and we’ve got some young fellows back home who are ready to help us.” Russell and starting guard Mike Visser, scoreless for the second straight game, struggled against the Czechs, who avenged an earlier loss to Canada. “They just played better than we did,” Donohue said. “They shot amazingly well. They forced us away from our game, just as the Russians did the day before. We had other teams play our game for six games in a row and that shows we’re making progress.”