FIFTH WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP FOR WOMEN-- 1967

Prague, Czechoslovakia - April 14-23, 1967

The United States' results at the 1967 World Championship were disappointing. The USA squad entered the competition with realistic hopes of challenging for a silver or bronze medal, conceding the gold to an unstoppable Russian team. But those hopes were far from realized as the U.S. won only a single game in six tries and earned an 11th-place finish.

The U.S. began well, recording a 42-38 victory over Australia in the opening game of preliminary play. That win would be the only taste of victory for the USA. The internationally dominant Soviets, led by 6'9' Ravilja Prokopenko, pounded the Americans 71-37. Then the U.S. lost its chance to advance to the final round when it was handed a 58-43 loss to Yugoslavia.

Moving on into the consolation round, the U.S. was more competitive, but still suffered a 56-44 loss to Brazil, dropped a 56-45 decision to Italy, then closed out the competition with a 68-40 loss to Bulgaria.

There was no simple explanation for the United States' uncharacteristically poor showing, but what was obvious was the improvement of the rest of the worlds' basketball skills. They were able to combine size, speed and agility with excellent quick-shooting accuracy, plus sharp passing under international rules that were unfamiliar to American players.

The USA team consisted of five AAU All-Americans and five were members of the AAU runner-up Raytown Piperettes (Mo.). However, not a single member of the AAU champion Nashville Business College team was part of the USA's roster. The team prepared for three weeks prior to the World Championship.

For the third straight time, the USSR claimed the gold medal. Surprisingly, South Korea captured the silver medal, while Czechoslovakia earned the bronze. The underdog South Koreans defeated host Czechoslovakia 74-71 on their home court in what was labeled as the biggest upset of any women's World Championship game to that point. Almost as surprising as South Korea's second place finish was the German Democratic Republic's fourth place finish and Japan's fifth place finish.

The all-tournament team, selected by coaches, included Feofora Orel, Ravilja Prokopenko and Skajdrite Smildzina all from the Soviet Union; Asko Yokoyama of Japan and Park Shin-Ja from Korea. Shin-Ja was also named the tourney's Most Valuable Player.

1967 USA Women's World Championship Cumulative Statistics