page_title: Basketball in Argentina
section_title: Beginning and consolidation
hierarchical_section_title: Basketball in Argentina / History / Beginning and consolidation
caption_attribution_description: English: Argentina vs Uruguay national basketball teams.
context_page_description: Basketball was introduced in Argentina in 1912 by the "Asociación Cristiana de Jóvenes", with the first Federation created in 1921 to organise the competitions. In 1929, the Argentine Basketball Federation was established. The body currently controls the Argentina national team.
  The Campeonato Argentino de Clubes was the top clubs competition of Argentina until 1984 when the Liga Nacional was created as the request of León Najnudel. The league is controlled by the "Asociación de Clubes de Básquetbol"
  Regarding the national team, Argentina is the only national team in the FIBA Americas zone that has won the quintuplet crown: FIBA World Cup, Olympic Gold Medal, FIBA Diamond Ball, FIBA AmeriCup and Pan American Gold Medal. They have also won 13 South American Basketball Championships, as well as many youth championships.
  The Argentine representative was also the first to defeat a United States national team with a full squad of NBA players. They did so by 87–80 in the 2002 FIBA World Championship held in Indianapolis.
context_section_description: The practice of basketball in Argentina was started by Asociación Cristiana de Jóvenes (YMCA) in 1912. Canadian Professor Paul Phillip was in charge to teach basketball at YMCA headquarters in Paseo Colón Avenue, Buenos Aires.
  The first basketball clubs in Argentina were YMCA, Hindú and Independiente. By 1912 the first basketball games were held by YMCA headquarters in Buenos Aires. In 1913 the first games between Argentine and Uruguayan YCMA are played. One year later, the YCMA organised the first internal championship. In 1919 the Uruguay national team played a game v. local team Nacional, in Buenos Aires. 
  In 1921 the "Argentine Basketball Federation" (original name: "Federación Argentina de Basket-Ball" – FABB) was established to organise competitions not only in Buenos Aires but in several cities around Argentina, such as Bahía Blanca and Córdoba where basketball would develop significantly in successive years. Argentina played its first international game (representing the FABB) against Uruguay in 1921. The players chosen to play that match were: S.G. Romero, J.C. Rodríguez Quiroga (captain), A. Birba, M. Hernandorena, J. Barbier.
  The first "big" of Argentine basketball was Hindú, winning 5 consecutive titles (1922–26). In 1926 the team toured on Europe to play a series of friendly matches. Hindú played a total of 6 games, remaining unbeaten.
  In successive years, other clubs such as Ñaró, Estudiantes (LP), River Plate, Gimnasia y Esgrima, Universitario and Racing) registered their teams to the Federation. In 1928, the "Campeonato Argentino de Básquet" was created
   The competition was established in 1928 with the purpose of organising a competition for provincial representatives. Until then, there was only local leagues such as Torneo Metropolitano, where teams of Buenos Aires took part.
  The first edition of Campeonato Argentino was held in the clay court field of YCMA of Buenos Aires. Santa Fe, Córdoba and two teams from FABB took part of the tournament. Córdoba was the first team outside Buenos Aires to win a championship, in 1932 and 1933. Other provincial sides such as Santa Fe (1934-1935) and Santiago del Estero (1937, with Rafael Lledó as notable player) would win their first national titles also.
  Buenos Aires Province was the most winning team between 1966 and 1978, with Bahiense players Alberto Pedro Cabrera, Atilio Fruet and José De Lizaso, plus other players from La Plata, Gehrmann, Galliadi, Sfeir, Carlos González. Buenos Aires played 13 consecutive finals, winning 10 of them.
  On August 30, 1929, the Argentine Basketball Federation (current "Confederación Argentina") was established, with founder members from Buenos Aires, Córdoba, Santa Fe, La Rioja, North Federation and Bahía Blanca. The Federación Argentina focused on the spread of basketball in Buenos Aires as in the rest of the provinces of Argentina.
caption: Argentina and Uruguay national sides, playing in 1925
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