SECOND WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP FOR WOMEN -- 1957

Rio de Janeiro, Brazil // October 13 - 26, 1957

The 1957 USA World Championship team was a well balanced team. Eight members of the USA squad were named as 1957 AAU All-Americans, players like Rita Alexander, Barbara Ann Sipes and Katherine Washington offered the U.S. group international experience as well. USA head coach John Head, who had directed the 1953 USA team to the gold medal, once again relied on the outstanding play of Washington, who had helped lead the '53 team to the World crown.

1957 USA Women's World Championship Team 1957 USA RESULTS (8-1) USA 75 Peru 37 USA 64 Argentina 39 Czechoslovakia 53 USA 50 FINAL ROUND USA 51 Hungary 46 USA 67 Brazil 44 USA 76 Chile 47 USA 61 Czechoslovakia 55 USA 60 Paraguay 40 USA 51 USSR 48 1957 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP FINAL STANDINGS 1. USA (6-0) 7. Chile (0-6) 2. Soviet Union (5-1) 8. Mexico (4-0) 3. Czechoslovakia (4-2) 9. Argentina (3-1) 4. Brazil (3-3) 10. Australia (2-2) 5. Hungary (2-4) 11. Peru (1-3) 6. Paraguay (1-5) 12. Cuba (0-4) NOTE: Team records reflect results from Final Round or Classification Round games only.

Journeying to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, for the 1957 World Championship and seeking to successfully defend the title the 1953 USA World Championship team had won, the U.S. was considered a co-favorite with the Soviet Union. The Soviet women had won four consecutive European titles and were making their first appearance in the FIBA World Championship.

The U.S. successfully advanced from the preliminary round to the final round but not without some concern. Drubbing Peru 75-37 in its opening preliminary round game, the U.S. next cruised past Argentina 64-39. However, in its final preliminary contest the United States was upset by Czechoslovakia 53-50.

Opening the final round of competition against Hungary, the U.S. trailed 29-27 at half, but rallied in the second half to take a hard fought 51-46 decision. Host Brazil was beaten by the Americans 67-44, then the U.S. squad jumped all over Chile early and sailed to a 76-47 victory.

In a rematch with Czechoslovakia, the U.S. avenged its earlier loss by recording an impressive 61-55 win. The USA's defense limited Paraguay to just eight first half points as the U.S. posted a 36-8 halftime lead and went on to record a 60-40 win to set the stage for its final match against unbeaten Soviet Union.

The USA-USSR match-up marked the first time the two women's teams had faced each other in a major competition, thus beginning a famed rivalry that would last decades. The USA women trailed by three, 27-24, at half, but regrouped and recorded a 51-48 come-from-behind victory to claim the 1957 World Championship title.

1957 USA Women's World Championship Cumulative Statistics