| FINAL STANDINGS 1. U.S.A. 2. Korea 3. CANADA 4. Australia 5. Italy 6. Japan 7. France 8. Netherlands 9. Brazil 10. Bolivia 11. Malaysia 12. Senegal | CANADIANS Luanne Hebb (Victoria, B.C.) Dori McPhail (Brandon, Man.) Debbie Huband (Ottawa, Ont.) Denise Dignard (Montreal, Que.) Alison Lang (Saskatoon, Sask.) Bev Smith (Armstrong, B.C.) Sylvia Sweeney (Montreal, Que.) Candy Clarkson (Ancaster, Ont.) Sharon Douglas (Regina, Sask.) Holly Jackson (Kelowna, B.C.) Chris Critelli (St. Catharines, Ont.) Debbie Steele (Kamloops, B.C.) Don McCrae – coach |
| POOL A | CAN | KOR | BOL | HOL | Record | ||||
| Canada | —– | 75-63 | 84-36 | 84-58 | (3-0) | ||||
| Korea | 63-75 | —– | 106-38 | 78-63 | (2-1) | ||||
| Netherlands | 58-84 | 63-78 | 95-34 | —– | (1-2) | ||||
| Bolivia | 36-84 | 38-106 | —– | 34-95 | (0-3) | ||||
| POOL B | JPN | FRA | BRZ | SEN | Record | ||||
| Japan | —– | 64-49 | 55-57 | 84-32 | (2-1) | ||||
| France | 49-64 | —– | 76-64 | 68-38 | (2-1) | ||||
| Brazil | 57-55 | 64-76 | —– | 98-57 | (2-1) | ||||
| Senegal | 32-84 | 38-68 | 57-98 | —– | (0-3) | ||||
| POOL C | AUS | ITA | MAL | Record | |||||
| Australia | —– | 79-76 | 119-14 | (2-0) | |||||
| Italy | 76-79 | —– | 80-36 | (1-1) | |||||
| Malaysia | 14-119 | 36-80 | —– | (0-2) | |||||
| CLASSIFICATION | HOL | BRA | BOL | MAL | SEN | Record | |||
| Netherlands | —– | 82-73 | 95-34 | 119-42 | 82-44 | (4-0) | |||
| Brazil | 73-82 | —– | 98-53 | 104-66 | 98-57 | (3-1) | |||
| Bolivia | 34-95 | 53-98 | —– | 55-47 | 54-51 | (2-2) | |||
| Malaysia | 42-119 | 66-104 | 47-55 | —– | 62-55 | (1-3) | |||
| Senegal | 44-82 | 57-98 | 51-54 | 55-62 | —– | (0-4) | |||
| MEDALS POOL | CAN | KOR | USA | JPN | AUS | ITA | FRA | Record | |
| Canada | —– | 75-63 | 61-77 | 56-55 | 66-57 | 64-55 | 72-59 | (5-1) | |
| Korea | 63-75 | —– | 94-82 | 64-56 | 76-72 | 63-56 | 76-71 | (5-1) | |
| United States | 77-61 | 82-94 | —– | 84-65 | 74-59 | 66-64 | 80-59 | (5-1) | |
| Australia | 57-66 | 72-76 | 59-74 | 61-60 | —– | 79-76 | 59-46 | (3-3) | |
| Italy | 55-64 | 56-63 | 64-66 | 63-50 | 76-79 | —– | 72-54 | (2-4) | |
| Japan | 55-56 | 56-64 | 65-84 | —– | 60-61 | 50-63 | 64-49 | (1-5) | |
| France | 59-72 | 71-76 | 59-80 | 49-64 | 46-59 | 54-72 | —– | (0-6) | |
Going into the tourney, Canada suffered an unexpected loss when guard Carol Turney was struck with the flu and unable to make the trip. She was replaced by 5-7 Debbie Huband, an All-Canadian from Bishop’s. “I was very pleased with Deb,” said coach Don McCrae. “She played very well all tournament long and saw more floor time than anyone.”
Canada opened against host Korea and won 76-63 as Sylvia Sweeney scored 24, Bev Smith 16, Chris Critelli 10, Candy Clarkson 10, Sharon Douglas 8, Debbie Huband 6 and Holly Jackson 2. “It was the first event ever held in that new 20,000 seat Sports Arena they’ve got,” noted coach Don McCrae, whose troops dominated the boards and forced South Korea into a perimeter attack. Canada led 34-30 at the half. Park Chan-Sook led Korea with 24.
Canada then pulverized Bolivia 84-36.
Canada finished (3-0) in pool A play after pounding the Netherlands 84-58.
Canada advanced to the medal pool.
In a tough match against Italy, Canada prevailed 64-55 as Bev Smith scored 16, Deb Huband 16, Sylvia Sweeney 14, Luanne Hebb 6, Chris Critelli 6, Candy Clarkson 4 and Sharon Douglas 2. “The fact that this year’s CIAU season was so pressure-packed helped us,” Coach Don McCrae said. “We were in a close game almost every time out, but we were quite poised for the most part.”
Canada then defeated France 72-59 as Debbie Huband scored 16, Sylvia Sweeney 15, Chris Critelli 14, Candy Clarkson 11, Luanne Hebb 6, Holly Jackson 6 and Bev Smith 4.
Canada nipped Japan 56-55. “It was a two- and three-point game all the way and though we weren’t great, we pulled it off when we had to,” said coach Don McCrae. Canada trailed 55-54 and Japan had possession of the ball with 38 seconds to play. “They didn’t turn it over,” said McCrae. “We took it from them.” Canada forced Japan to a 30-second shot clock violation with tough defence. After a time out, McCrae felt “it’s one thing to explain how we could win it and quite another to do it. I’m really pleased we were able to execute under pressure.” With possession in front of their own bench, Canada worked the ball to Montreal’s Sylvia Sweeney who scored up close at the buzzer.
Bev Smith scored 25 in Canada’s 66-57 win over Australia. The 6-1 guard from Salmon Arm who played for Oregon, shot .600 from the field and .820 from the line while grabbing 9 rebounds. Sylvia Sweeney added 20 and Chris Critelli 11. Julie Gross led Australia. “At one point, we just had them reeling, back on the ropes,” said coach Don McCrae. “But we were so disorganized ourselves that I had to call a time out. I hated to do it – we should have buried them – but I had to.”
Canada fell 77-61 in its final round robin game against the United States. Candi Clarkson, the 6-0 U of Guelph centre, said “they didn’t play all that well – we just didn’t quite have it that day, that’s all.” Canada missed a shot at the end that would have made the difference in determining the point differential and the medals. Trailing by 14 with seconds left, Sylvia Sweeney, who scored 24 and grabbed 12 boards, missed a short jumper. “We were in it most of the way,” said McCrae. “But they were able to keep throwing fresh troops at us without any decline in playing ability.” Chris Critelli scored 15 and Candi Clarkson 10.
Canada (5-1) finishes tied for first with U.S.A. and Korea. But Canada was placed third on the basis of point differential in games between the trio. The U.S.A is (+4), Korea (-1) and Canada (-3).
Coach McCrae says the showing may have surprised some, but not him. “I felt we were ready. But the bottom line is performance and we certainly got that.”
Sweeney was chosen MVP of the world championships. Sweeney had organized the walkout of national team players in 1975 after the firing of Don McCrae. Basketball Canada eventually capitulated and rehired McCrae. Sweeney became a member of national team in 1974 at the age of 17.
Bev Smith was also selected to the all-tournament team, along with Carol Blazejowski of the U.S., Sweeney, and Korea’s Park Chan Sook and Kang Syun Sook.