Basketball, Men

The United States had revenge on its mind after the debacle of Munich. The 1976 US basketball team was coached by Dean Smith of the University of North Carolina, and he chose a team heavily laden with players from his own school – Phil Ford, Walter Davis, Mitch Kupchak, and Tom LaGarde – and rival schools in the Atlantic Coast Conference, including Steve Sheppard and Tate Armstrong. The two top European teams remained the Soviet Union and Yugoslavia, who had finished 1-2 at the 1970 World Championship (the USA was 5th), and the 1969 and 1971 European Championships.

But a re-match of the USA-USSR game never occurred. The United States almost lost an early round game to Puerto Rico, led by Marquette University star, Butch Lee, but eventually prevailed, 95-94. In one semi-final, Yugoslavia defeated the Soviet Union, to set up a final game against the USA. In the final, the United States scored the first eight points, and was never challenged by Yugoslavia, winning 95-74. The USA team was led by Notre Dame star Adrian Dantley, who averaged over 19 points per game.