Czechoslovakia national basketball team

The Czechoslovakian national basketball team was the basketball side that represented Czechoslovakia in international competitions. After the Dissolution of Czechoslovakia in 1993, the Czech Republic and Slovakia set up their own national teams.

Medals

• Eurobasket 1935 - Bronze medal
• Eurobasket 1946 - Champions
• Eurobasket 1947 - Silver medal
• Eurobasket 1951 - Silver medal
• Eurobasket 1955 - Silver medal
• Eurobasket 1957 - Bronze medal
• Eurobasket 1959 - Silver medal
• Eurobasket 1967 - Silver medal
• Eurobasket 1969 - Bronze medal
• Eurobasket 1977 - Bronze medal
• Eurobasket 1981 - Bronze medal
• Eurobasket 1985 - Silver medal

Eurobasket 1935

The Czechoslovakian side came in third place at the first European basketball championship, the Eurobasket 1935 held by the International Basketball Federation's FIBA Europe continental federation. They defeated France in the preliminary round to advance to the semifinals. There they lost to Spain, resulting in a playoff for third place with Switzerland which the Czechoslovakians won 25-23.

Eurobasket 1937

In the Eurobasket 1937 competition, the Czechoslovakians finished seventh of eight teams. Their preliminary group included the powerful French, Polish, and Latvian teams, each of which defeated Czechoslovakia in the preliminary round. The Czechoslovaks then faced Estonia in the classification semifinals, losing again. Their final match was against Egypt in the 7th/8th playoff; since Egypt had withdrawn during preliminary play, Czechoslovakia received their only win by default.

Eurobasket 1946

Czechoslovakia returned to European competition with Eurobasket 1946. They started off well in a tournament notably lacking the Baltic countries that had dominated the pre-war competitions. Defeating Switzerland and then Belgium, the Czechoslovakian team placed first in the preliminary round group of three. They moved on to the semifinal round, facing the Hungarians. A 42-28 win secured a place in the championship game for Czechoslovakia. In that game, they played the undefeated Italy. After training 18-21 at halftime, Czechoslovakia came back to win the game 34-32 to win their first European championship.

Eurobasket 1947

Defending champions and tournament hosts Czechoslovakia started off well again at Eurobasket 1947, winning all three of their preliminary round matches and then all three of their semifinal round matches. This put them in their first matchup against the Soviet Union in the championship game. In the first of five championship game matches between the European titans, Czechoslovakia lost 56-37 to finish with a silver medal.

Eurobasket 1951

Czechoslovakia did not compete at Eurobasket 1949 in Cairo, returning to the European championships at Eurobasket 1951 in Paris. They endured some hardship in the tournament, losing to Belgium in the preliminary round to finish the round 2-1 and second-ranked of the four teams in the pool. This was sufficient to advance to the semifinal round, however. There, they faced the dominant Soviet Union, losing their second game of the tournament and again finishing second of four in the pool with a 2-1 record. This put them in a matchup against the first-ranked team from the opposite pool, hosts France. Czechoslovakia won 59-50, advancing to the final, a rematch against the Soviets.

In what was by far the closest game the Soviets had yet endured in European play, Czechoslovakia managed to bring the game to a 44-44 tie with 1 second remaining to play before fouling Ilmar Kullam and sending him to the free throw line to attempt a free throw. Kullam made the shot, but one of the referees gave an initial signal that he had stepped on the line during the attempt and that therefore the shot did not count. Consultation with another referee eventually resulted in the point being allowed, and Czechoslovakia lost its second championship game to the Soviet Union 45-44.

Eurobasket 1953

After placing in the top two in each of their last three appearances, the fourth-place finish that Czechoslovakia earned at Eurobasket 1953 in Moscow was somewhat of a disappointment. However, the difference between 2nd and 5th in 1953 was a 4-way tie-breaker, in which the Czechoslovakia squad had gotten the third spot for fourth place overall.

The preliminary round posed little difficulty, with Czechoslovakia winning all three games. The final round, however, saw Czechoslovakia lose close matches to Israel and Yugoslavia, as well as the Soviet squad, on their way to a 4-3 record in the final round. This put Czechoslovakia on an equal footing with Hungary, France national basketball team, and Italy in a tie for second behind the Soviets. Despite Czechoslovakia having beaten Hungary and France, both teams came about above Czechoslovakia in the final standings, while Israel was dropped to fifth place.

Eurobasket 1955

In Budapest for the Eurobasket 1955 competition, the Czechoslovakia team found itself slaying giants but falling to less vaunted opponents. They had little difficulty in the preliminary round, going 3-0 to advance to the final pool. There, Czechoslovakia defeated powerful Hungary, in Hungary's only loss of the final round on their way to the gold medal, but also gave Yugoslavia the only win the Yugoslavian team would get in the final round as Czechoslovakia fell 52-49 to the eventual 8th-place finishers. A third-round loss to Poland made the round robin look bleak for the Czechoslovakian team, as they were already down to 1-2 and had yet to face the Soviet Union, which had yet to lose a game in 4 tournaments and 31 matches.

Nevertheless, Czechoslovakia defeated the Soviets 81-74 in a surprising match. They then won their next three games, finishing in second place with the silver medal and a 5-2, edging out the Soviets who were also 5-2 after losing to Hungary in their sixth match. Czechoslovakia had managed to defeat both the gold medallists and bronze medallists, meanwhile losing to teams that finished 5th and 8th.

Eurobasket 1957

Sofia was the location of Czechoslovakia's next European tournament entry, Eurobasket 1957. They had little difficulty in the preliminary round, winning each of their three games by 18 points or more. In the final round, Czechoslovakia met with Bulgaria and Soviet Union in the second and third matches of the 7-game round robin, losing those two to drop to an early 1-2 record. However, none of the other teams in the final round could match the Czechoslovakia squad, and the team finished at 5-2 with a bronze medal behind the Bulgarians and Soviets.

Rosters

1935 EuroBasket: finished 3rd among 10 teams

Jiri Ctyroky, Jan Fertek, Josef Franc, Josef Klima, Josef Moc, Frantisek Picek, Vaclav Voves

1936 Olympic Games: finished 11th among 21 teams

Jiri Ctyroky, Josef Klima, Frantisek Picek, Josef Moc, Frantisek Hajek, Ludvik Dvoracek, Alois Dvoracek, Vitezslav Hlousek, Karel Kuhn, Ladislav Prokop, Ladislav Trpkos, F.Prokop

1937 EuroBasket: finished 7th among 8 teams

Jan Kozak, Josef Klima, Ladislav Prokop, Josef Bartonicek, Ludvik Dvoracek, Silverius Labohy, Zdenek Scholler, Storkan (Coach: Frantisek Marek)

1939 EuroBasket: did not participate

1946 EuroBasket: finished 1st among 10 teams

Ivan Mrazek, Gustav Hermann, Milos Bobocky, Jiri Drvota, Josef Ezr, Jan Hluchy, Josef Krepela, Pavel Nerad, Ladislav Simacek, Frantisek Stibitz, Josef Toms, Ladislav Trpkos, Emil Velensky, Miroslav Vondracek (Coach: Frantisek Hajek)

1947 EuroBasket: finished 2nd among 14 teams

Ivan Mrazek, Jiri Drvota, Gustav Hermann, Milos Bobocky, Jan Kozak, Josef Ezr, Karel Belohradsky, Miroslav Dostal, Milan Frana, Vaclav Krasa, Josef Toms, Ladislav Trpkos, Emil Velensky, Miroslav Vondracek (Coach: Josef Fleischlinger)

1948 Olympic Games: finished 7th among 23 teams

Ivan Mrazek, Jan Kozak, Josef Ezr, Jiri Drvota, Karel Belohradsky, Cyril Benacek, Jiri Chlup, Josef Kalina, Vaclav Krasa, Zoltan Krenicky, Josef Krepela, Jiri Siegel, Josef Toms, Ladislav Trpkos

1949 EuroBasket: did not participate

1950 World Championship: did not participate

1951 EuroBasket: finished 2nd among 17 teams

Ivan Mrazek, Miroslav Skerik, Jiri Baumruk, Jaroslav Sip, Zdenek Bobrovsky, Jan Kozak, Zdenek Rylich, Miroslav Baumruk, Zoltan Krenicky, Karel Belohradsky, Miroslav Dostal, Jindrich Kinsky, Jiri Matousek, Milos Nebuchla, Arnost Novak, Karel Sobota, Stanislav Vykydal (Coach: Josef Andrle)

1952 Olympic Games: finished 10th among 23 teams

Ivan Mrazek, Miroslav Skerik, Jiri Baumruk, Jaroslav Sip, Zdenek Bobrovsky, Jan Kozak, Zdenek Rylich, Miroslav Baumruk, Jiri Matousek, Evzen Hornak, Jaroslav Tetiva, Josef Ezr, Lubomir Kolar, Miroslav Kodl

1953 EuroBasket: finished 4th among 17 teams

Ivan Mrazek, Jiri Baumruk, Zdenek Bobrovsky, Jan Kozak, Miroslav Skerik, Zdenek Rylich, Radoslav Sip, Jaroslav Tetiva, Jaroslav Sip, Jindrich Kinsky, Evzen Hornak, Rudolf Stancek, Lubomir Kolar (Coach: Lubomir Dobry)

1954 World Championship: did not participate

1955 EuroBasket: finished 2nd among 18 teams

Ivan Mrazek, Jiri Baumruk, Zdenek Bobrovsky, Miroslav Skerik, Jaroslav Sip, Zdenek Rylich, Jaroslav Tetiva, Radoslav Sip, Evzen Hornak, Jan Kozak, Lubomir Kolar, Boris Lukasik, Jiri Matousek, Milan Merkl (Coach: Josef Fleischlinger)

1956 Olympic Games: did not participate

1957 EuroBasket: finished 3rd among 16 teams

Jiri Baumruk, Miroslav Skerik, Zdenek Bobrovsky, Jaroslav Sip, Zdenek Rylich, Lubomir Kolar, Boris Lukasik, Jaroslav Chocholac, Milan Merkl, Nikolaj Ordnung, Jaroslav Tetiva, Jiri Tetiva (Coach: Gustav Hermann)

1959 EuroBasket: finished 2nd among 17 teams

Jiri Baumruk, Frantisek Konvicka, Bohumil Tomasek, Jaroslav Krivy, Miroslav Skerik, Jaroslav Sip, Boris Lukasik, Dusan Lukasik, Zdenek Rylich, Jiri Stastny, Jaroslav Tetiva, Bohuslav Rylich (Coach: Gustav Hermann)

1959 World Championship: did not participate

1960 Olympic Games: finished 5th among 16 teams

Frantisek Konvicka, Jiri Baumruk, Vladimir Pistelak, Bohumil Tomasek, Zdenek Bobrovsky, Jiri Tetiva, Boris Lukasik, Jiri Stastny, Bohuslav Rylich, Jan Kinsky, Dusan Lukasik, Zdenek Konecny (Coach: Ivan Mrazek)

1961 EuroBasket: finished 5th among 19 teams

Frantisek Konvicka, Vladimir Pistelak, Jiri Baumruk, Zdenek Bobrovsky, Bohumil Tomasek, Bohuslav Rylich, Jaroslav Tetiva, Frantisek Pokorny, Zdenek Konecny, Jiri Marek, Milos Prazak, Vladimir Lodr (Coach: L.Krnac)

1963 EuroBasket: finished 10th among 16 teams

Jiri Zidek Sr., Jan Bobrovsky, Frantisek Konvicka, Vladimir Pistelak, Bohumil Tomasek, Jiri Ruzicka, Robert Mifka, Boris Lukasik, Bohuslav Rylich, Zdenek Konecny, Jaroslav Tetiva, Milos Prazak (Coach: Ivan Mrazek)

1963 World Championship: did not participate

1964 Olympic Games: did not participate

1965 EuroBasket: finished 7th among 16 teams

Jiri Zidek Sr., Frantisek Konvicka, Jan Bobrovsky, Jiri Ruzicka, Vladimir Pistelak, Robert Mifka, Jiri Zednicek, Bohumil Tomasek, Jiri Ammer, Jiri Stastny, Karel Baroch, Zdenek Hummel (Coach: Vladimir Heger)

1967 EuroBasket: finished 2nd among 16 teams

Jiri Zidek Sr., Vladimir Pistelak, Frantisek Konvicka, Jan Bobrovsky, Jiri Zednicek, Jiri Ruzicka, Bohumil Tomasek, Jiri Ammer, Robert Mifka, Karel Baroch, Jiri Marek, Celestyn Mrazek (Coach: Vladimir Heger)

1967 World Championship: did not participate

1968 Olympic Games: did not participate

1969 EuroBasket: finished 3rd among 12 teams

Jiri Zidek Sr., Jan Bobrovsky, Jiri Zednicek, Frantisek Konvicka, Vladimir Pistelak, Jiri Ammer, Robert Mifka, Jiri Ruzicka, Karel Baroch, Jiri Konopasek, Petr Novicky, Jan Blazek (Coach: Nikolaj Ordnung)

1970 World Championship: finished 6th among 13 teams

Jiri Zidek Sr., Jan Bobrovsky, Robert Mifka, Jiri Ammer, Jiri Zednicek, Jiri Ruzicka, Petr Novicky, Jaroslav Kovar, Jiri Konopasek, Jiri Pospisil, Milan Voracka, Zdenek Dousa (Coach: Nikolaj Ordnung)

1971 EuroBasket: finished 5th among 12 teams

Kamil Brabenec, Jiri Zidek Sr., Zdenek Kos, Jan Bobrovsky, Jiri Zednicek, Robert Mifka, Jiri Ruzicka, Karel Baroch, Petr Novicky, Jiri Konopasek, Jiri Pospisil, Bronislav Sako (Coach: Nikolaj Ordnung)

1972 Olympic Games: finished 8th among 16 teams

Kamil Brabenec, Zdenek Kos, Jiri Zidek Sr., Jiri Zednicek, Jan Bobrovsky, Jiri Ruzicka, Petr Novicky, Jiri Konopasek, Zdenek Dousa, Jiri Pospisil, Jan Blazek, Jiri Balastik (Coach: Vladimir Heger)

1973 EuroBasket: finished 4th among 12 teams

Kamil Brabenec, Jiri Zednicek, Jan Bobrovsky, Zdenek Kos, Jiri Zidek Sr., Petr Novicky, Josef Klima, Jiri Pospisil, Jan Blazek, Vojtech Petr, Jiri Balastik, Gustav Hraska (Coach: Vladimir Heger)

1974 World Championship: finished 10th among 14 teams

Kamil Brabenec, Jan Bobrovsky, Jiri Zednicek, Zdenek Kos, Jiri Zidek Sr., Zdenek Dousa, Vojtech Petr, Jaroslav Skala, Jaroslav Beranek, Pavel Pekarek, Zdenek Hummel, Gustav Hraska (Coach: Vladimir Heger)

1975 EuroBasket: finished 6th among 12 teams

Stanislav Kropilak, Kamil Brabenec, Zdenek Kos, Jiri Pospisil, Jaroslav Skala, Zdenek Dousa, Gustav Hraska, Vlastimil Klimes, Jaroslav Beranek, Jaroslav Kanturek, Josef Necas, Jiri Stauch (Coach: Vladimir Heger)

1976 Olympic Games: finished 6th among 12 teams

Stanislav Kropilak, Kamil Brabenec, Zdenek Kos, Jiri Konopasek, Jiri Pospisil, Vojtech Petr, Zdenek Dousa, Gustav Hraska, Jaroslav Kanturek, Vladimir Ptacek, Justin Sedlak, Vladimir Padrta (Coach: Vladimir Heger)

1977 EuroBasket: finished 3rd among 12 teams

Kamil Brabenec, Stanislav Kropilak, Zdenek Kos, Jiri Pospisil, Vlastimil Klimes, Zdenek Dousa, Gustav Hraska, Josef Necas, Vojtech Petr, Jiri Konopasek, Vladimir Ptacek, Pavol Bojanovsky (Coach: Pavel Petera)

1978 World Championship: finished 9th among 14 teams

Stanislav Kropilak, Kamil Brabenec, Zdenek Kos, Jiri Pospisil, Zdenek Dousa, Vojtech Petr, Gustav Hraska, Vlastimil Klimes, Vladimir Ptacek, Vlastimil Havlik, Pavol Bojanovsky, Marian Kotleba (Coach: Pavel Petera)

1979 EuroBasket: finished 4th among 12 teams

Kamil Brabenec, Zdenek Kos, Stanislav Kropilak, Vojtech Petr, Jiri Pospisil, Vlastimil Klimes, Gustav Hraska, Zdenek Dousa, Jaroslav Skala, Vlastimil Havlik, Zdenek Bohm, Peter Rajniak (Coach: Pavel Petera)

1980 Olympic Games: finished 9th among 12 teams

Kamil Brabenec, Stanislav Kropilak, Jaroslav Skala, Zdenek Kos, Jiri Pospisil, Gustav Hraska, Vlastimil Havlik, Pavol Bojanovsky, Vlastimil Klimes, Zdenek Dousa, Dusan Zacek, Peter Rajniak (Coach: Pavel Petera)

1981 EuroBasket: finished 3rd among 12 teams

Zdenek Kos, Kamil Brabenec, Stanislav Kropilak, Jaroslav Skala, Vojtech Petr, Gustav Hraska, Vlastimil Klimes, Zdenek Bohm, Vlastimil Havlik, Peter Rajniak, Juraj Zuffa, Justin Sedlak (Coach: Pavel Petera)

1982 World Championship: finished 10th among 13 teams

Stanislav Kropilak, Zdenek Kos, Vojtech Petr, Gustav Hraska, Jaroslav Skala, Vlastimil Havlik, Zdenek Bohm, Vlastimil Klimes, Juraj Zuffa, Peter Rajniak,Vladimir Ptacek, Dusan Zacek (Coach: Pavel Petera)

1983 EuroBasket: finished 10th among 12 teams

Stanislav Kropilak, Jiri Okac, Jaroslav Skala, Vojtech Petr, Gustav Hraska, Zdenek Bohm, Vlastimil Havlik, Juraj Zuffa, Vladimir Ptacek, Peter Rajniak, Blazej Masura, Jiri Jandak (Coach: Pavel Petera)

1984 Olympic Games: did not participate

1985 EuroBasket: finished 2nd among 12 teams

Kamil Brabenec, Stanislav Kropilak, Jiri Okac, Zdenek Bohm, Vlastimil Havlik, Jaroslav Skala, Juraj Zuffa, Otto Maticky, Peter Rajniak, Igor Vraniak, Vladimir Vyoral, Leos Krejci (Coach: Pavel Petera)

1986 World Championship: did not participate

1987 EuroBasket: finished 8th among 12 teams

Kamil Brabenec, Stanislav Kropilak, Jiri Okac, Otto Maticky, Vlastimil Havlik, Jaroslav Skala, Juraj Zuffa, Peter Rajniak, Josef Jelinek, Josef Michalko, Leos Krejci, Stefan Svitek (Coach: Pavel Petera)

1988 Olympic Games: did not participate

1989 EuroBasket: did not participate

1990 World Championship: did not participate

1991 EuroBasket: finished 6th among 8 teams

Jiri Okac, Richard Petruska, Vaclav Hruby, Josef Michalko, Leos Krejci, Julius Michalik, Pavel Becka, Jan Svoboda, Vladimir Vyoral, Stefan Svitek, Michal Jezdik, Stanislav Kamenik (Coach: Jan Bobrovsky)