Originating from the Mexican state of Chihuahua and quickly rising to the status of a star on local and regional teams, basketball player Rubén Almanza was selected to represent his country at the 1952 Helsinki Olympics. There, Mexico was eliminated in round one after winning their match against Finland, but losing against Bulgaria and the upcoming silver medalists from the Soviet Union; Almanza played in all three games. His only other major international appearance came at the 1955 Pan American Games, where Mexico was defeated by the United States, Argentina, and Brazil, but triumphed over Cuba and Venezuela to finish fourth overall.
Mexico