SIXTH PAN AMERICAN GAMES -- 1971

Cali, Colombia - July 25 - August 8, 1971

The 1971 USA Pan American Games team traveled to Cali, Colombia, looking to regain the gold medal which had been lost to Brazil at the 1967 Pan American Games. However, an opening game loss to Brazil, the third straight U.S. loss to Brazil in Pan American Games competition, quickly dampened any USA chance for the gold.

1971 USA Women's Pan American Games Team 1971 USA RESULTS (5-1) Brazil 64 USA 60 USA 63 Cuba 62 USA 57 Mexico 54 USA 54 Canada 50 USA 54 Ecuador 35 USA 83 Colombia 49 1971 PAN AM GAMES FINAL STANDINGS 1. Brazil (5-1)* 5. Canada (3-3) 2. USA (5-1)* 6. Ecuador (1-5) 3. Cuba (4-2) 7. Colombia (0-6) 4. Mexico (3-3) *Final standings determined by result between tied teams.

Head coach Harley Redin of the Wayland Baptist College (TX) Hutcherson Flying Queens put together his Pan American Games squad and in preparation for the Games took his team to a world tournament which preceded the Pan American Games. The nucleus of the 1971 team was seven of Coach Redin's players from his Wayland Baptist College / Hutcherson Flying Queens team.

The USA and Brazil were considered the teams to beat at the 1971 Pan American Games and fans didn't have long to wait for the USA-Brazil showdown. Meeting the opening day, the USA fell in a closely contested game, 64-60. The loss put the U.S. women behind the eight ball. With five games remaining, another U.S. loss would almost certainly mean no chance of obtaining the gold medal.

A much improved Cuban team stood in line next for the United States. Guard Linda Gamble led the Americans with 20 points, but it was Flying Queen teammate Janice Beach who came off the bench to sink a long shot with four seconds remaining to lift the USA to a 63-62 win. The U.S. slipped past Mexico 57-54, then closed out the tournament with a 54-35 win over Ecuador and a 83-49 victory over Colombia. As fate would have it, Brazil was upended by Canada 69-63, leaving Brazil and the U.S. tied with identical 5-1 records. But by virtue of Brazil's win over the USA, Brazil was awarded the gold medal and the U.S. the silver.

Cherri Rapp from Wayland Baptist and Lois Stuflick of Parsons College led the USA squad averaging 11.8 ppg. and 10.0 ppg., respectively.

1971 USA Women's Pan American Games Cumulative Statistics