# Basketball at the 1956 Summer Olympics

Basketball at the 1956 Summer Olympics was the fourth appearance of the sport of basketball as an official Olympic medal event. Fifteen nations, an unusually low number for the basketball tournament, competed in the event, with 174 participants. A total number of 56 games of basketball were played.
The teams were divided into four pools, with four teams in three of the pools and only three in the fourth. Every team played against each other team in its pool once. The top two teams from each pool advanced to the quarterfinals, where again they were split into pools of four. Teams again played every other team in their pool, with the top two in each advancing to the semifinal and the bottom two entering a pool for 5th through 8th places. Eliminated teams also played in consolation matches with the same structure as the quarterfinals and finals, but for 9th through 15th places. The games were held at the Royal Exhibition Building.

## Qualified Teams

* Outright qualifier, World Champion
* Outright qualifier, World Runner-up
* Outright qualifier, World Bronze medalists
* Host nation
Teams Participating by Region :
| Americas | Europe | Asia | Africa | Oceania |
| United States | Soviet Union | Philippines | No team participated | Australia |
| Uruguay | France | Japan | No team participated | — |
| Brazil | Canada | South Korea | No team participated | — |
| Chile | Bulgaria | Singapore | No team participated | — |
| — | — | Republic of China | No team participated | — |
| — | — | Thailand | No team participated | — |
Number of Berths Allocated for the Tournament :
| Region | Automatic | From the previous World Cup | Berth as Host nation | Total |
| Europe | 4 | N/A | N/A | 4 |
| Americas | 2 | 2 | N/A | 4 |
| Asia | 5 | 1 | N/A | 6 |
| Africa | No team participated | No team participated | No team participated | 0 |
| Oceania | N/A | N/A | 1 | 1 |
| TOTAL | 11 | 3 | 1 | 15 |

## Medalists

| Gold: | Silver: | Bronze: |
| United States (USA) Carl Cain Bill Hougland K.C. Jones Bill Russell James Walsh William Evans Burdette Haldorsson Ronald Tomsic Dick Boushka Gilbert Ford Robert Jeangerard Charles Darling | Soviet Union (URS) Valdis Muižnieks Maigonis Valdmanis Vladimir Torban Stasys Stonkus Kazys Petkevičius Arkadi Bochkarev Jānis Krūmiņš Mikhail Semyonov Algirdas Lauritenas Yuri Ozerov Viktor Zubkov Mikhail Studenetsky | Uruguay (URU) Carlos Blixen Ramiro Cortes Héctor Costa Nelson Chelle Nelson Demarco Héctor García Otero Carlos Gonzáles Sergio Matto Oscar Moglia Raúl Mera Ariel Olascoaga Milton Scaron |

## Participating nations

For the team rosters see: Basketball at the 1956 Summer Olympics – Men's team rosters.
* Australia (12)
* Brazil (12)
* Bulgaria (11)
* Canada (12)
* Chile (11)
* Republic of China (12)
* France (12)
* Japan (11)
* South Korea (10)
* Philippines (12)
* Singapore (10)
* Soviet Union (12)
* Thailand (9)
* United States (12)
* Uruguay (13)

## Preliminary round
### Group A

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | L | PF | PA | PD | Pts | Qualification |
| 1 | United States | 3 | 3 | 0 | 320 | 122 | +198 | 6 | Quarterfinals |
| 2 | Philippines | 3 | 2 | 1 | 224 | 237 | −13 | 5 | Quarterfinals |
| 3 | Japan | 3 | 1 | 2 | 171 | 225 | −54 | 4 | 9th–15th classification round |
| 4 | Thailand | 3 | 0 | 3 | 134 | 265 | −131 | 3 | 9th–15th classification round |
* 23 November 13:30
| Philippines | 94–55 | Thailand |
| Scoring by half: 34–24, 60–31 |||
* Royal Exhibition Building, Melbourne
* 23 November
| United States | 98–40 | Japan |
| Scoring by half: 33–20, 65–20 |||
* Royal Exhibition Building, Melbourne
* 24 November
| United States | 101–29 | Thailand |
| Scoring by half: 54–12, 47–17 |||
* Royal Exhibition Building, Melbourne
* 24 November
| Japan | 61–77 | Philippines |
| Scoring by half: 29–37, 32–40 |||
* Royal Exhibition Building, Melbourne
* 26 November
| Thailand | 50–70 | Japan |
| Scoring by half: 20–35, 30–35 |||
* Royal Exhibition Building, Melbourne
* 26 November
| United States | 121–53 | Philippines |
| Scoring by half: 66–23, 55–30 |||
* Royal Exhibition Building, Melbourne

### Group B

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | L | PF | PA | PD | Pts | Qualification |
| 1 | France | 3 | 3 | 0 | 236 | 183 | +53 | 6 | Quarterfinals |
| 2 | Soviet Union | 3 | 2 | 1 | 255 | 177 | +78 | 5 | Quarterfinals |
| 3 | Canada | 3 | 1 | 2 | 206 | 234 | −28 | 4 | 9th–15th classification round |
| 4 | Singapore | 3 | 0 | 3 | 154 | 257 | −103 | 3 | 9th–15th classification round |
| Soviet Union | 97–59 | Canada |
| Scoring by half: 46–20, 51–39 |||
* Royal Exhibition Building, Melbourne
| Singapore | 54–81 | France |
| Scoring by half: 22–44, 32–37 |||
* Royal Exhibition Building, Melbourne
| Soviet Union | 67–76 | France |
| Scoring by half: 18–24, 49–52 |||
* Royal Exhibition Building, Melbourne
| Canada | 85–58 | Singapore |
| Scoring by half: 51–30, 34–28 |||
* Royal Exhibition Building, Melbourne
| Soviet Union | 91–42 | Singapore |
| Scoring by half: 40–21, 51–21 |||
* Royal Exhibition Building, Melbourne
| France | 79–62 | Canada |
| Scoring by half: 43–35, 36–27 |||
* Royal Exhibition Building, Melbourne

### Group C

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | L | PF | PA | PD | Pts | Qualification |
| 1 | Uruguay | 3 | 3 | 0 | 238 | 187 | +51 | 6 | Quarterfinals |
| 2 | Bulgaria | 3 | 2 | 1 | 242 | 199 | +43 | 5 | Quarterfinals |
| 3 | Formosa | 3 | 1 | 2 | 216 | 249 | −33 | 4 | 9th–15th classification round |
| 4 | South Korea | 3 | 0 | 3 | 194 | 255 | −61 | 3 | 9th–15th classification round |
* 22 November 20:00
| South Korea | 76–83 | Formosa |
| Scoring by half: 28–42, 48–41 |||
* Royal Exhibition Building, Melbourne
* 23 November 16:30
| Uruguay | 70–65 | Bulgaria |
| Scoring by half: 38–35, 32–30 |||
* Royal Exhibition Building, Melbourne
* 24 November 10:30
| Uruguay | 85–62 | Formosa |
| Scoring by half: 39–36, 46–26 |||
* Royal Exhibition Building, Melbourne
* 24 November 13:30
| Bulgaria | 89–58 | South Korea |
| Scoring by half: 47–33, 42–25 |||
* Royal Exhibition Building, Melbourne
* 26 November 10:30
| Formosa | 71–88 | Bulgaria |
| Scoring by half: 35–47, 36–41 |||
* Royal Exhibition Building, Melbourne
* 26 November 16:30
| Uruguay | 83–60 | South Korea |
| Scoring by half: 35–25, 48–35 |||
* Royal Exhibition Building, Melbourne

### Group D

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | L | PF | PA | PD | Pts | Qualification |
| 1 | Brazil | 2 | 2 | 0 | 167 | 125 | +42 | 4 | Quarterfinals |
| 2 | Chile | 2 | 1 | 1 | 137 | 134 | +3 | 3 | Quarterfinals |
| 3 | Australia (H) | 2 | 0 | 2 | 122 | 167 | −45 | 2 | 9th–15th classification round |
| Chile | 59–78 | Brazil |
| Scoring by half: 34–39, 25–39 |||
| Brazil | 89–66 | Australia |
| Scoring by half: 50–35, 39–31 |||
| Chile | 78–56 | Australia |
| Scoring by half: 37–27, 41–29 |||

## Classification 9–15
### Group 1

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | L | PF | PA | PD | Pts | Qualification |
| 1 | Formosa | 3 | 3 | 0 | 218 | 189 | +29 | 6 | 9th–12th classification playoffs |
| 2 | Australia (H) | 3 | 2 | 1 | 258 | 208 | +50 | 5 | 9th–12th classification playoffs |
| 3 | Singapore | 3 | 1 | 2 | 200 | 215 | −15 | 4 | 13th–16th classification playoffs |
| 4 | Thailand | 3 | 0 | 3 | 150 | 214 | −64 | 3 | 13th–16th classification playoffs |
| Singapore | 64–67 | Formosa |
| Scoring by half: 23–26, 41–41 |||
| Australia | 87–48 | Thailand |
| Scoring by half: 48–23, 39–25 |||
| Thailand | 50–62 | Singapore |
| Scoring by half: 26–29, 24–33 |||
| Australia | 73–86 | Formosa |
| Scoring by half: 40–39, 33–47 |||
| Formosa | 65–52 | Thailand |
| Scoring by half: 35–31, 30–21 |||
| Australia | 98–74 | Singapore |
| Scoring by half: 48–36, 50–38 |||

### Group 2

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | L | PF | PA | PD | Pts | Qualification |
| 1 | Canada | 2 | 2 | 0 | 147 | 123 | +24 | 4 | 9th–12th classification playoffs |
| 2 | Japan | 2 | 1 | 1 | 143 | 140 | +3 | 3 | 9th–12th classification playoffs |
| 3 | South Korea | 2 | 0 | 2 | 130 | 157 | −27 | 2 | 13th–16th classification playoffs |
| South Korea | 63–74 (OT) | Canada |
| Scoring by half: 31–32, 31–30 Overtime: 1–12 |||
* Royal Exhibition Building, Melbourne
| Japan | 83–67 | South Korea |
| Scoring by half: 36–23, 47–44 |||
* Royal Exhibition Building, Melbourne
| Canada | 73–60 | Japan |
| Scoring by half: 40–26, 33–34 |||
* Royal Exhibition Building, Melbourne

### Classification 13–15

| Classification Semifinals | Classification Semifinals | 13th-place match | 13th-place match |
| 1 December | 1 December |
| Thailand | 47 |
| Thailand | 47 | 1 December | 1 December |
| South Korea | 61 | 1 December | 1 December |
| South Korea | 61 | South Korea | 79 |
| | | Singapore | 92 |
* Thailand was named as the final placers of the games because of their loss to the Koreans.

### Classification 9–12

| Classification Semifinals | Classification Semifinals | Ninth-place match | Ninth-place match |
| 1 December | 1 December |
| Formosa | 61 |
| Formosa | 61 | 1 December | 1 December |
| Japan | 82 | 1 December | 1 December |
| Japan | 82 | Japan | 60 |
| 1 December | 1 December | | Japan | 60 |
| 1 December | 1 December | Canada | 75 |
| Australia | 38 | Canada | 75 |
| Canada | 83 | | |
| Canada | 83 | Eleventh-place match | Eleventh-place match |
| | | 1 December | 1 December |
| | | Formosa | 87 |
| | | Australia | 70 |

## Quarterfinals

* Advance to the semifinals
* Relegated to the 5th-8th classification

### Group A

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | L | PF | PA | PD | Pts | Qualification |
| 1 | France | 3 | 2 | 1 | 195 | 187 | +8 | 5 | Semifinals |
| 2 | Uruguay | 3 | 2 | 1 | 221 | 209 | +12 | 5 | Semifinals |
| 3 | Chile | 3 | 1 | 2 | 221 | 220 | +1 | 4 | 5th–8th classification playoffs |
| 4 | Philippines | 3 | 1 | 2 | 204 | 225 | −21 | 4 | 5th–8th classification playoffs |
* 1 2 Head-to-head record: France 1–0 Uruguay
* 1 2 Head-to-head record: Chile 1–0 Philippines
| France | 71–60 | Chile |
| Scoring by half: 37–23, 34–37 |||
| Uruguay | 79–70 (OT) | Philippines |
| Scoring by half: 42–39, 26–29 Overtime: 11–2 |||
| Uruguay | 80–73 | Chile |
| Scoring by half: 40–25, 40–48 |||
| Philippines | 65–58 (OT) | France |
| Scoring by half: 30–26, 25–29 Overtime: 10–3 |||
| Chile | 88–69 | Philippines |
| Scoring by half: 42–32, 46–37 |||
| Uruguay | 62–66 | France |
| Scoring by half: 31–38, 31–28 |||

### Group B

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | L | PF | PA | PD | Pts | Qualification |
| 1 | United States | 3 | 3 | 0 | 283 | 150 | +133 | 6 | Semifinals |
| 2 | Soviet Union | 3 | 2 | 1 | 208 | 209 | −1 | 5 | Semifinals |
| 3 | Bulgaria | 3 | 1 | 2 | 182 | 224 | −42 | 4 | 5th–8th classification playoffs |
| 4 | Brazil | 3 | 0 | 3 | 192 | 282 | −90 | 3 | 5th–8th classification playoffs |
| Bulgaria | 44–85 | United States |
| Scoring by half: 19–48, 25–37 |||
| Brazil | 68–87 | Soviet Union |
| Scoring by half: 28–37, 40–50 |||
| Bulgaria | 56–66 | Soviet Union |
| Scoring by half: 32–37, 24–29 |||
| United States | 113–51 | Brazil |
| Scoring by half: 50–22, 63–29 |||
| Soviet Union | 55–85 | United States |
| Scoring by half: 32–39, 23–46 |||
| Bulgaria | 82–73 | Brazil |
| Scoring by half: 38–36, 44–37 |||

### Classification 5–8

| Classification Semifinals | Classification Semifinals | 5th-place game | 5th-place game |
| Chile | 64 |
| Brazil | 89 | | |
| Brazil | 89 | Brazil | 52 |
| | | Bulgaria | 64 |
| Philippines | 70 | Bulgaria | 64 |
| Bulgaria | 80 | | |
| Bulgaria | 80 | 7th-place game | 7th-place game |
| | | Chile | 68 |
| | | Philippines | 75 |

#### Classification Semifinals

* 30 November 15:00
* Boxscore
| Chile | 64–89 | Brazil |
| Scoring by half: 33–55, 31–34 |||
| Pts: Ostoic 13 | | Pts: dos Santos 27 |
* Royal Exhibition Building, Melbourne
* 30 November 16:30
* Boxscore
| Philippines | 70–80 | Bulgaria |
| Scoring by half: 43–50, 27–30 |||
| Pts: Badion 27 | | Pts: Radev 21 |
* Royal Exhibition Building, Melbourne

#### Seventh-place match

* 1 December
* Boxscore
| Chile | 68–75 | Philippines |
| Scoring by half: 38–33, 30–42 |||
* Royal Exhibition Building, Melbourne

#### Fifth-place match

* 1 December
* Boxscore
| Brazil | 52–64 | Bulgaria |
| Scoring by half: 26–27, 26–37 |||
* Royal Exhibition Building, Melbourne

## Final round

| Semi-finals | Semi-finals | Gold-medal match | Gold-medal match |
| 30 November | 30 November |
| (A2) Uruguay | 38 |
| (A2) Uruguay | 38 | 1 December | 1 December |
| (B1) United States | 101 | 1 December | 1 December |
| (B1) United States | 101 | (B1) United States | 89 |
| 30 November | 30 November | | (B1) United States | 89 |
| 30 November | 30 November | (B2) Soviet Union | 55 |
| (A1) France | 49 | (B2) Soviet Union | 55 |
| (B2) Soviet Union | 56 | | |
| (B2) Soviet Union | 56 | Bronze-medal match | Bronze-medal match |
| | | 1 December | 1 December |
| | | (A2) Uruguay | 71 |
| | | (A1) France | 62 |

### Semifinals

* 30 November 20:00
* Boxscore
| France | 49–56 | Soviet Union |
| Scoring by half: 19–25, 30–31 |||
| Pts: Antoine 12 | | Pts: Krūmiņš 27 |
* Royal Exhibition Building, Melbourne
* 30 November 21:30
* Boxscore
| Uruguay | 38–101 | United States |
| Scoring by half: 10–51, 28–50 |||
| Pts: Mera, Blixen 8 each | | Pts: Tomsic 18 |
* Royal Exhibition Building, Melbourne

### Bronze-medal match

* 1 December 20:00
* Boxscore
| France | 62–71 | Uruguay |
| Scoring by half: 29–37, 32–34 |||
| Pts: Monclar 16 | | Pts: Moglia 25 |
* Royal Exhibition Building, Melbourne

### Final

* 1 December 21:30
* Boxscore
| Soviet Union | 55–89 | United States |
| Scoring by half: 27–56, 28–33 |||
| Pts: Semyonov 15 | | Pts: Jeangerard 16 |
* Royal Exhibition Building, Melbourne

## Awards

* 1956 Olympic Basketball champions
* United States Fourth title

## Final rankings

| Pos | Team | Record |
| | United States | 8−0 |
| | Soviet Union | 5−3 |
| | Uruguay | 6−2 |
| 4th | France | 5−3 |
| 5th | Bulgaria | 5−3 |
| 6th | Brazil | 3−4 |
| 7th | Philippines | 4−4 |
| 8th | Chile | 2–5 |
| 9th | Canada | 5–2 |
| 10th | Japan | 3–4 |
| 11th | Formosa | 5−3 |
| 12th | Australia | 2–5 |
| 13th | Singapore | 2–5 |
| 14th | South Korea | 1–6 |
| 15th | Thailand | 0–7 |