# 1952 United States men's Olympic basketball team

The 1952 United States men's Olympic basketball team competed in the 1952 Summer Olympics in Helsinki, Finland from July 14 to August 2, 1952. Warren Womble was the team's head coach, and Phog Allen was the team's main assistant coach. The team won its third straight Summer Olympics basketball gold medal.

## Roster

The team consisted of 14 members. It included five members of the Amateur Athletic Union's Peoria Caterpillars team and two Phillips 66ers. The team also featured seven players from the national champion 1951–52 Kansas Jayhawks men's basketball team, as well as their coach Phog Allen, who served as assistant on the team.
| | Position | Height | Weight | Age | Hometown | Team |
| Ron Bontemps | Guard | 6'2" | 175 | 25 | Taylorville, Illinois | Peoria Caterpillars (Illinois) |
| Marc Freiberger | Center | 6'11" | 215 | 23 | Greenville, Texas | Peoria Caterpillars (Oklahoma) |
| Wayne Glasgow | Guard/Forward | 6'3" | 190 | 26 | Dacoma, Oklahoma | Phillips 66ers (Oklahoma) |
| Charlie Hoag | Guard/Forward | 6'2" | 185 | 20 | Oak Park, Illinois | Kansas |
| Bill Hougland | Guard | 6'4" | 180 | 22 | Beloit, Kansas | Kansas |
| John Keller | Guard/Forward | 6'3" | 185 | 23 | Page City, Kansas | Kansas |
| Dean Kelley | Guard | 5'11" | 165 | 20 | Morton, Illinois | Kansas |
| Bob Kenney | Forward | 6'2" | 185 | 21 | Winfield, Kansas | Kansas |
| Bob Kurland | Center | 7'0" | 220 | 27 | Jennings, Missouri | Phillips 66ers (Oklahoma St.) |
| Bill Lienhard | Forward | 6'5" | 180 | 22 | Lawrence, Kansas | Kansas |
| Clyde Lovellette | Forward | 6'9" | 230 | 22 | Terre Haute, Indiana | Kansas |
| Frank McCabe | Forward | 6'8" | 225 | 25 | Grand Rapids, Michigan | Peoria Caterpillars (Marquette) |
| Dan Pippin | Guard | 6'1" | 170 | 25 | Waynesville, Missouri | Peoria Caterpillars (Missouri) |
| Howie Williams | Guard | 6'0" | 168 | 24 | New Ross, Indiana | Peoria Caterpillars (Purdue) |

## 1952 Team USA matches

* 25 July 1952 (1952-07-25)
* OR p. 680
| United States | 66–48 | Hungary |
| Scoring by half: 37–23, 27–25 |||
* Tennispalatsi, Helsinki Referees: Vanderperren (BEL), Wabby (EGY)
* 25 July 1952 (1952-07-25)
* OR p. 682
| United States | 72–47 | Czechoslovakia |
| Scoring by half: 35–21, 37–26 |||
* Tennispalatsi, Helsinki Referees: Ashri (EGY), Reverberi (ITA)
* 27 July 1952 (1952-07-27)
* OR p. 683
| United States | 56–44 | Uruguay |
| Scoring by half: 32–27, 24–17 |||
* Tennispalatsi, Helsinki Referees: Siener (FRA), Chuard (SUI)
* 28 July 1952 (1952-07-28)
* OR p. 684
| United States | 86–58 | Soviet Union |
| Scoring by half: 36–22, 50–36 |||
* Tennispalatsi, Helsinki Referees: Siener (FRA), Wahby (EGY)
* 29 July 1952 (1952-07-29)
* OR p. 684
| United States | 103–55 | Chile |
| Scoring by half: 47–32, 56–23 |||
* Tennispalatsi, Helsinki Referees: Ashri (EGY), Posvar (TCH)
* 30 July 1952 (1952-07-30)
* OR p. 686
| United States | 57–53 | Brazil |
| Scoring by half: 24–26, 33–27 |||
* Tennispalatsi, Helsinki Referees: Wahby (EGY), Posvar (TCH)
* 31 July 1952 (1952-07-31)
* OR p. 688
| United States | 85–76 | Argentina |
| Scoring by half: 43–39, 42–37 |||
* Messuhalli, Helsinki Referees: Ashri (EGY), Siener (FRA)
* 2 August 1952 (1952-08-02) 16:00
* OR p. 688
| United States | 36–25 | Soviet Union |
| Scoring by half: 17–15, 19–10 |||
| Pts: Lovellette 9 | | Pts: Korkia 8 |
* Messuhalli, Helsinki Referees: Vanderperren (BEL), Wahby (EGY)

## Final match up versus USSR

The final match up game was a very low scoring game, as the USSR successfully utilized a low block and time wasting. After ten minutes, Team USA only led 4–3. After the USSR took a lead in the third quarter, Team USA began to display their offense by shooting well, ultimately winning the game by 11 points. Lovellette scored nine points, while Kurland scored eight points.

## Final standings

* 1. United States (8–0)
* 2. Soviet Union (6–2)
* 3. Uruguay (5–3)
* 4. France (5–3)
* 5. Chile (4–4)
* 6. Brazil (4–4)
* 7. Bulgaria (4–4)
* 8. France (4–4)
* 9. Canada (3–3)
* 10. Cuba (1–4)
* 11. Czechoslovakia (1–2)
* 12. Egypt (3–3)
* 13. Finland (0–3)
* 14. Hungary (2–4)
* 15. Mexico (1–2)
* 16. Philippines (1–2)