Basketball at the 1952 Summer Olympics was the third appearance of the sport. 23 nations entered the competition.

The top six teams at the 1948 Summer Olympics qualified automatically, as did the 1950 World Champion (Argentina), the top two at the 1951 European championships (USSR and Czechoslovakia), and the host country (Finland). Thirteen other nations competed in a preliminary round to determine the last six places in the sixteen-team Olympic tournament.

The matches were played in two different arenas: the eliminating matches and the opening round of the tournament in the Tennis Palace in the heart of the city, where two courts had been available for practice, and the semi-finals and finals in Messuhalli II, adjacent to the Olympic Stadium.

Basketball

Medalists

Results

Preliminary round

Nations that lost two games in the preliminary tournaments were eliminated. When there were only two teams left in each group, those teams advanced to the main tournament.

Group A

In the first round, Cuba and Bulgaria won.

• Cuba def. Belgium, 59-51
• Bulgaria def. Switzerland, 69-58

Cuba and Bulgaria played each other, with Bulgaria's victory winning it a berth in the main tournament. The losers played each other, with Switzerland's second loss ejecting the nation from the tournament.

• Bulgaria def. Cuba, 62-56
• Belgium def. Switzerland, 59-49

The two teams that were 1-1 played each, with the winner receiving a tournament berth and the loser being eliminated.

• Cuba def. Belgium, 71-63

Group B

In the first round, Hungary and the Philippines won.

• Hungary def. Greece, 75-38
• Philippines def. Israel, 57-47

Hungary and the Philippines played each other, with the Philippines's victory winning it a berth in the main tournament. The losers played each other, with Israel's second loss ejecting the nation from the tournament.

• Philippines def. Hungary, 48-35
• Greece def. Israel, 54-52

The two teams that were 1-1 played each, with the winner receiving a tournament berth and the loser being eliminated.

• Hungary def. Greece, 47-44

Group C

In the first round, Italy and Turkey were served their first losses.

• Canada def. Italy, 68-57
• Egypt def. Turkey, 64-45

Romania's first game was a loss to Canada. Italy and Turkey played each other, with Turkey's second loss eliminating it.

• Canada def. Romania, 72-51
• Italy def. Turkey, 49-37

Italy and Romania, who had both lost once, played each other. Romania's second loss eliminated the nation from the tournament. Undefeated nations Canada and Egypt played each other, with Egypt being served its first loss.

• Italy def. Romania, 53-39
• Canada def. Egypt, 63-57

Italy played its fourth game of the tournament against Egypt. The decisive game ended with Egypt winning a berth to the main competition and Italy being eliminated.

• Egypt def. Italy, 66-62

Main tournament

The top two teams in each group advanced to the semifinal round.

Group 1

• United States def. Hungary, 66-48
• Uruguay def. Czechoslovakia, 53-51

• Uruguay def. Hungary, 70-56
• United States def. Czechoslovakia, 72-47

• Czechoslovakia def. Hungary, 63-39
• United States def. Uruguay, 57-44

Group 2

• USSR def. Bulgaria, 74-46
• Mexico def. Finland, 66-48

• Bulgaria def. Mexico, 52-44
• USSR def. Finland, 47-35

• Bulgaria def. Finland, 65-64
• USSR def. Mexico, 71-62

Group 3

• Argentina def. Philippines, 85-59
• Brazil def. Canada, 57-55

• Brazil def. Philippines, 71-52
• Argentina def. Canada, 82-81

• Philippines def. Canada, 81-65
• Argentina def. Brazil, 72-56

Group 4

• France def. Egypt, 92-64
• Chile def. Cuba, 53-52

• Chile def. Egypt, 74-46
• France def. Cuba, 58-42

• France def. Chile, 52-43
• Egypt def. Cuba, 66-55

Semifinals

The top two teams in each semifinal advanced to the semifinals. The other two teams in each semifinal played in the fifth through eighth place classification.

Semifinal group A

• Argentina def. Bulgaria, 100-56
• France def. Uruguay, 68-66

• Uruguay def. Bulgaria, 62-54
• Argentina def. France, 61-52

• Bulgaria def. France, 67-58
• Uruguay def. Argentina, 66-65

Semifinal group B

• United States def. USSR, 86-58
• Brazil def. Chile, 75-44

• United States def. Chile, 103-55
• USSR def. Brazil, 54-49

• United States def. Brazil, 57-53
• USSR def. Chile, 78-60

Classification 5-8

• Chile def. Bulgaria, 60-53
• Brazil def. France, 59-44

Classification 7/8

• Bulgaria def. France, 58-44

Classification 5/6

• Chile def. Brazil, 58-49

Semifinals

Participating nations

Each country was allowed to enter one team of 14 players and they all were eligible for participation. A total number of 317 players were entered.

A total of 301(*) basketball players from 23 nations competed at the Helsinki Games:

(*) NOTE: There are only players counted, which participated in one game at least. Up to now only two reserve player can be named, 14 reserve players are unknown.

Summary

bs:Ko?arka na Olimpijskim igrama 1952. ca:Bŕsquet als Jocs Olímpics d'estiu de 1952 de:Olympische Sommerspiele 1952/Basketball et:Korvpall 1952. aasta suveolümpiamängudel es:Anexo:Baloncesto en los Juegos Olímpicos de Helsinki 1952 hr:Ko?arka na OI 1952. it:Pallacanestro ai Giochi della XV Olimpiade hu:1952. évi nyári olimpiai játékok (kosárlabda) nl:Basketbal op de Olympische Zomerspelen 1952 ja:????????????????????????? no:Basketball under Sommer-OL 1952 pt:Basquetebol nos Jogos Olímpicos de Verăo de 1952

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