The Czechoslovakia national basketball team (, ) represented Czechoslovakia in international basketball from 1932 to 1992. After the Dissolution of Czechoslovakia in 1993, the Czech Republic and Slovakia set up their own national teams. Both teams are recognized as the successor to the Czechoslovak team.
The Czechoslovak 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 Czechoslovaks won 25âÂÂ23.
In the EuroBasket 1937 competition, the Czechoslovaks 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 Their final match was against Egypt in the 7th/8th playoff; since Egypt had withdrawn during preliminary play, Czechoslovakia received their only win by default.
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 Czechoslovak team placed first in the preliminary round group of three. They moved on to the semifinal round, facing the Hungarians. A 42âÂÂ28 win secured a place in the championship game for Czechoslovakia. In that game, they played the undefeated Italy. After training 18âÂÂ21 at halftime, Czechoslovakia came back to win the game 34âÂÂ32 to win their first European championship.
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 match up against the Soviet Union in the championship game. In the first of five championship game matches between the European titans, Czechoslovakia lost 56âÂÂ37 to finish with a silver medal.
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 2âÂÂ1 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 2âÂÂ1 record. This put them in a match up against the first-ranked team from the opposite pool, hosts France. Czechoslovakia won 59âÂÂ50, 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 44âÂÂ44 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 45âÂÂ44.
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 4âÂÂ3 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.
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 3âÂÂ0 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 52âÂÂ49 to the eventual 8th-place finishers. A third-round loss to Poland made the round robin look bleak for the Czechoslovak team, as they were already down to 1âÂÂ2 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 81âÂÂ74 in a surprising match. They then won their next three games, finishing in second place with the silver medal and a 5âÂÂ2, edging out the Soviets who were also 5âÂÂ2 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.
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 1âÂÂ2 record. However, none of the other teams in the final round could match the Czechoslovakia squad, and the team finished at 5âÂÂ2 with a bronze medal behind the Bulgarians and Soviets. Czechoslovak player Jià ÂàBaumruk was named MVP.
Players with the most caps (total games played):
Includes total points scored in only games played at the FIBA Pre-Olympic Tournament, the FIBA European Olympic Qualifying Tournament, the Summer Olympics, the FIBA World Cup, and the FIBA EuroBasket.
1935 FIBA EuroBasket: finished 3rd among 10 teams
Jià ÂàÃÂtyà Âoký, Jan Feà Âtek, Josef Franc, Josef KlÃÂma, Josef Moc, Frantià ¡ek Picek, Václav Voves
1936 Summer Olympic Games: finished 11th among 21 teams
Jià ÂàÃÂtyà Âoký, Josef KlÃÂma, Frantià ¡ek Picek, Josef Moc, Karel Kuhn, Ladislav Prokop, Ladislav Trpkoà ¡, Hubert Prokop
1937 FIBA EuroBasket: finished 7th among 8 teams
Jan Kozák, Josef KlÃÂma, Ladislav Prokop, Josef BartonÃÂÃÂek, LudvÃÂk Dvoà ÂáÃÂek, Silverius Labohý, ZdenÃÂk Scholler, Bertan à  torkán (Head coach: Frantià ¡ek Marek)
1939 FIBA EuroBasket: did not participate
1946 FIBA EuroBasket: finished 1st among 10 teams
Ivan Mrázek, Gustáv Hermann, Miloà ¡ Bobocký, Jià ÂàDrvota, Josef Ezr, Ján Hluchý, Josef Kà Âepela, Pavel Nerad, Ladislav à  imáÃÂek, Frantià ¡ek Stibitz, Josef Toms, Ladislav Trpkoà ¡, Emil Velenský, Miroslav VondráÃÂek (Head coach: Frantià ¡ek Hájek)
1947 FIBA EuroBasket: finished 2nd among 14 teams
Ivan Mrázek, Jià ÂàDrvota, Gustáv Hermann, Miloà ¡ Bobocký, Jan Kozák, Josef Ezr, Karel BÃÂlohradský, Miroslav Dostál, Milan Fráà Âa, Václav Krása, Josef Toms, Ladislav Trpkoà ¡, Emil Velenský, Miroslav VondráÃÂek (Head coach: Josef Fleischlinger)
1948 Summer Olympic Games: finished 7th among 23 teams
Ivan Mrázek, Jan Kozák, Josef Ezr, Jià ÂàDrvota, Karel BÃÂlohradský, Ctirad BenáÃÂek, ZdenÃÂk Chlup, Jozef Kalina, Václav Krása, Zoltán Krenický, Josef Kà Âepela, Jià ÂàSiegel, Josef Toms, Ladislav Trpkoà ¡
1949 FIBA EuroBasket: did not participate
1950 FIBA World Championship: did not participate
1951 FIBA EuroBasket: finished 2nd among 17 teams
Ivan Mrázek, Miroslav à  keà ÂÃÂk, Jià ÂàBaumruk, Jaroslav à  ÃÂp, ZdenÃÂk Bobrovský, Jan Kozák, ZdenÃÂk Rylich, Miroslav Baumruk, Zoltán Krenický, Karel Belohradsky, Jindà Âich Kinský, Jià ÂàMatouà ¡ek, Miloà ¡ Nebuchla, Arnoà ¡t Novák, Karel Sobota, Stanislav Vykydal (Head coach: Josef Andrle)
1952 Summer Olympic Games: finished 10th among 23 teams
Ivan Mrázek, Miroslav à  keà ÂÃÂk, Jià ÂàBaumruk, Jaroslav à  ÃÂp, ZdenÃÂk Bobrovský, Jan Kozák, ZdenÃÂk Rylich, Miroslav Baumruk, Jià ÂàMatouà ¡ek, Eugen Horniak, Jaroslav Tetiva, Josef Ezr, LubomÃÂr Koláà Â, Miloslav Kodl
1953 FIBA EuroBasket: finished 4th among 17 teams
Ivan Mrázek, Jià ÂàBaumruk, ZdenÃÂk Bobrovský, Jan Kozák, Miroslav à  keà ÂÃÂk, ZdenÃÂk Rylich, Radoslav à  ÃÂp, Jaroslav Tetiva, Jaroslav à  ÃÂp, Jindà Âich Kinský, Eugen Horniak, Rudolf StanÃÂek, Lubomir KolÃ¡à  (Head coach: LubomÃÂr Dobrý)
1954 FIBA World Championship: did not participate
1955 FIBA EuroBasket: finished 2nd among 18 teams
Ivan Mrázek, Jià ÂàBaumruk, ZdenÃÂk Bobrovský, Miroslav à  keà ÂÃÂk, Jaroslav à  ÃÂp, ZdenÃÂk Rylich, Jaroslav Tetiva, Radoslav SÃÂs, Eugen Horniak, Jan Kozák, LubomÃÂr Koláà Â, Duà ¡an LukÃ¡à ¡ik, Jià ÂàMatouà ¡ek, Milan Merkl (Head coach: Josef Fleischlinger)
1956 Summer Olympic Games: did not participate
1957 FIBA EuroBasket: finished 3rd among 16 teams
Jià ÂàBaumruk, Miroslav à  keà ÂÃÂk, ZdenÃÂk Bobrovský, Jaroslav à  ÃÂp, ZdenÃÂk Rylich, LubomÃÂr Koláà Â, Duà ¡an LukÃ¡à ¡ik, Jaroslav ChocholáÃÂ, Milan Merkl, Nikolaj Ordnung, Jaroslav Tetiva, Jià ÂàTetiva (Head coach: Gustáv Hermann)
1959 FIBA EuroBasket: finished 2nd among 17 teams
Jià ÂàBaumruk, Frantià ¡ek KonviÃÂka, Bohumil TomÃ¡à ¡ek, Jaroslav Kà Âivý, Miroslav à  keà ÂÃÂk, Jaroslav à  ÃÂp, Boris LukÃ¡à ¡ik, Duà ¡an LukÃ¡à ¡ik, ZdenÃÂk Rylich, Jià ÂÃ à  à ¥astný, Jaroslav Tetiva, Bohuslav Rylich (Head coach: Gustáv Hermann)
1959 FIBA World Championship: did not participate
1960 Summer Olympic Games: finished 5th among 16 teams
Jià ÂàBaumruk, Frantià ¡ek KonviÃÂka, VladimÃÂr Pià ¡tÃÂlák, Bohumil TomÃ¡à ¡ek, ZdenÃÂk Bobrovský, Jià ÂàTetiva, Boris LukÃ¡à ¡ik, Jià ÂÃ à  à ¥astný, Bohuslav Rylich, Jan Kinský, Duà ¡an LukÃ¡à ¡ik, ZdenÃÂk KoneÃÂný (Head coach: Ivan Mrázek)
1961 FIBA EuroBasket: finished 5th among 19 teams
Frantià ¡ek KonviÃÂka, VladimÃÂr Pià ¡tÃÂlák, Jià ÂàBaumruk, ZdenÃÂk Bobrovský, Bohumil TomÃ¡à ¡ek, Bohuslav Rylich, Jaroslav Tetiva, Frantià ¡ek Pokorný, ZdenÃÂk KoneÃÂný, Jià ÂàMarek, Miloà ¡ Praà ¾Ã¡k, VladimÃÂr Lodr (Head coach: L. KrnáÃÂ)
1963 FIBA EuroBasket: finished 10th among 16 teams
Jià ÂàZÃÂdek, Jan Bobrovský, Frantià ¡ek KonviÃÂka, VladimÃÂr Pià ¡tÃÂlák, Bohumil TomÃ¡à ¡ek, Jià ÂàRà ¯à ¾iÃÂka, Robert Mifka, Boris LukÃ¡à ¡ik, Bohuslav Rylich, ZdenÃÂk KoneÃÂný, Jaroslav Tetiva, Miloà ¡ Praà ¾Ã¡k (Head coach: Ivan Mrázek)
1963 FIBA World Championship: did not participate
1964 Summer Olympic Games: did not participate
1965 FIBA EuroBasket: finished 7th among 16 teams
Jià ÂàZÃÂdek, Frantià ¡ek KonviÃÂka, Jan Bobrovský, Jià ÂàRà ¯à ¾iÃÂka, VladimÃÂr Pià ¡tÃÂlák, Robert Mifka, Jià ÂàZednÃÂÃÂek, Bohumil TomÃ¡à ¡ek, Jià ÂàAmmer, Jià ÂÃ à  à ¥astný, Karel Baroch, ZdenÃÂk Hummel (Head coach: VladimÃÂr Heger)
1967 FIBA EuroBasket: finished 2nd among 16 teams
Jià ÂàZÃÂdek, VladimÃÂr Pià ¡tÃÂlák, Frantià ¡ek KonviÃÂka, Jan Bobrovský, Jià ÂàZednÃÂÃÂek, Jià ÂàRà ¯à ¾iÃÂka, Bohumil TomÃ¡à ¡ek, Jià ÂàAmmer, Robert Mifka, Karel Baroch, Jià ÂàMarek, Celestýn Mrázek (Head coach: VladimÃÂr Heger)
1967 FIBA World Championship: did not participate
1968 Summer Olympic Games: did not participate
1969 FIBA EuroBasket: finished 3rd among 12 teams
Jià ÂàZÃÂdek, Jan Bobrovský, Jià ÂàZednÃÂÃÂek, Frantià ¡ek KonviÃÂka, VladimÃÂr Pià ¡tÃÂlák, Jià ÂàAmmer, Robert Mifka, Jià ÂàRà ¯à ¾iÃÂka, Karel Baroch, Jià ÂàKonopásek, Petr Novický, Jan Blaà ¾ek (Head coach: Nikolaj Ordnung)
1970 FIBA World Championship: finished 6th among 13 teams
Jià ÂàZÃÂdek, Jan Bobrovský, Robert Mifka, Jià ÂàAmmer, Jià ÂàZednÃÂÃÂek, Jià ÂàRà ¯à ¾iÃÂka, Petr Novický, Jaroslav Kováà Â, Jià ÂàKonopásek, Jià ÂàPospÃÂà ¡il, Milan VoraÃÂka, ZdenÃÂk Douà ¡a (Head coach: Nikolaj Ordnung)
1971 FIBA EuroBasket: finished 5th among 12 teams
Kamil Brabenec, Jià ÂàZÃÂdek, ZdenÃÂk Kos, Jan Bobrovský, Jià ÂàZednÃÂÃÂek, Jià ÂàRà ¯à ¾iÃÂka, Karel Baroch, Petr Novický, Jià ÂàKonopásek, Jià ÂàPospÃÂà ¡il, Bronislav Sako (Head coach: Nikolaj Ordnung)
1972 Summer Olympic Games: finished 8th among 16 teams
Kamil Brabenec, ZdenÃÂk Kos, Jià ÂàZÃÂdek, Jià ÂàZednÃÂÃÂek, Jià ÂàRà ¯à ¾iÃÂka, Petr Novický, Jià ÂàKonopásek, ZdenÃÂk Douà ¡a, Jià ÂàPospÃÂà ¡il, Jan Blaà ¾ek, Jià ÂàBalaà ¡tÃÂk (Head coach: VladimÃÂr Heger)
1973 FIBA EuroBasket: finished 4th among 12 teams
Kamil Brabenec, Jià ÂàZednÃÂÃÂek, Jan Bobrovský, ZdenÃÂk Kos, Jià ÂàZÃÂdek, Petr Novický, Josef KlÃÂma, Jià ÂàPospÃÂà ¡il, Jan Blaà ¾ek, VojtÃÂch Petr, Jià ÂàBalaà ¡tÃÂk, Gustav Hraà ¡ka (Head coach: Vladimir Heger)
1974 FIBA World Championship: finished 10th among 14 teams
Kamil Brabenec, Jan Bobrovský, Jià ÂàZednÃÂÃÂek, ZdenÃÂk Kos, Jià ÂàZÃÂdek, ZdenÃÂk Douà ¡a, VojtÃÂch Petr, Jaroslav Skála, Jaroslav Beránek, Pavel Pekárek, ZdenÃÂk Hummel, Gustav Hraà ¡ka (Head coach: VladimÃÂr Heger)
1975 FIBA EuroBasket: finished 6th among 12 teams
Stanislav Kropilák, Kamil Brabenec, ZdenÃÂk Kos, Jià ÂàPospÃÂà ¡il, Jaroslav Skála, ZdenÃÂk Douà ¡a, Gustav Hraà ¡ka, Vlastimil Klimeà ¡, Jaroslav Beránek, Jaroslav Kantà ¯rek, Josef NeÃÂas, Jià ÂÃ à  tauch (Head coach: VladimÃÂr Heger)
1976 Summer Olympic Games: finished 6th among 12 teams
Stanislav Kropilák, Kamil Brabenec, ZdenÃÂk Kos, Jià ÂàKonopásek, Jià ÂàPospÃÂà ¡il, VojtÃÂch Petr, ZdenÃÂk Douà ¡a, Gustav Hraà ¡ka, Jaroslav Kantà ¯rek, VladimÃÂr PtáÃÂek, Justin Sedlák, VladimÃÂr Padrta (Head coach: VladimÃÂr Heger)
1977 FIBA EuroBasket: finished 3rd among 12 teams
Kamil Brabenec, Stanislav Kropilák, ZdenÃÂk Kos, Jià ÂàPospÃÂà ¡il, Vlastimil Klimeà ¡, ZdenÃÂk Douà ¡a, Gustav Hraà ¡ka, Josef NeÃÂas, VojtÃÂch Petr, Jià ÂàKonopásek, VladimÃÂr PtáÃÂek, Pavol Bojanovský (Head coach: Pavel Petera)
1978 FIBA World Championship: finished 9th among 14 teams
Stanislav Kropilák, Kamil Brabenec, ZdenÃÂk Kos, Jià ÂàPospÃÂà ¡il, ZdenÃÂk Douà ¡a, VojtÃÂch Petr, Gustav Hraà ¡ka, Vlastimil Klimeà ¡, VladimÃÂr PtáÃÂek, Vlastimil HavlÃÂk, Pavol Bojanovský, Marian Kotleba (Head coach: Pavel Petera)
1979 FIBA EuroBasket: finished 4th among 12 teams
Kamil Brabenec, ZdenÃÂk Kos, Stanislav Kropilák, VojtÃÂch Petr, Jià ÂàPospÃÂà ¡il, Vlastimil Klimeà ¡, Gustav Hraà ¡ka, ZdenÃÂk Douà ¡a, Jaroslav Skála, Vlastimil HavlÃÂk, ZdenÃÂk Böhm, Peter Rajniak (Head coach: Pavel Petera)
1980 Summer Olympic Games: finished 9th among 12 teams
Kamil Brabenec, Stanislav Kropilák, Jaroslav Skála, ZdenÃÂk Kos, Jià ÂàPospÃÂà ¡il, Gustav Hraà ¡ka, Vlastimil HavlÃÂk, Pavol Bojanovský, Vlastimil Klimeà ¡, ZdenÃÂk Douà ¡a, Duà ¡an à ½Ã¡ÃÂek, Peter Rajniak (Head coach: Pavel Petera)
1981 FIBA EuroBasket: finished 3rd among 12 teams
ZdenÃÂk Kos, Kamil Brabenec, Stanislav Kropilák, Jaroslav Skála, VojtÃÂch Petr, Gustav Hraà ¡ka, Vlastimil Klimeà ¡, ZdenÃÂk Böhm, Vlastimil HavlÃÂk, Peter Rajniak, Juraj à ½uffa, Justin Sedlak (Head coach: Pavel Petera)
1982 FIBA World Championship: finished 10th among 13 teams
Stanislav Kropilák, ZdenÃÂk Kos, VojtÃÂch Petr, Gustav Hraà ¡ka, Jaroslav Skála, Vlastimil HavlÃÂk, ZdenÃÂk Böhm, Vlastimil Klimeà ¡, Juraj à ½uffa, Peter Rajniak, VladimÃÂr PtáÃÂek, Duà ¡an à ½Ã¡ÃÂek (Head coach: Pavel Petera)
1983 FIBA EuroBasket: finished 10th among 12 teams
Stanislav Kropilák, Jià ÂàOkáÃÂ, Jaroslav Skála, VojtÃÂch Petr, Gustav Hraà ¡ka, ZdenÃÂk Böhm, Vlastimil HavlÃÂk, Juraj à ½uffa, VladimÃÂr PtáÃÂek, Peter Rajniak, Blaà ¾ej Maà ¡ura, Jià ÂàJandák (Head coach: Pavel Petera)
1984 Summer Olympic Games: did not participate
1985 FIBA EuroBasket: finished 2nd among 12 teams
Kamil Brabenec, Stanislav Kropilák, Jià ÂàOkáÃÂ, ZdenÃÂk Böhm, Vlastimil HavlÃÂk, Jaroslav Skála, Juraj à ½uffa, Oto Matický, Peter Rajniak, Igor Vraniak, VladimÃÂr Vyoral, Leoà ¡ KrejÃÂà(Head coach: Pavel Petera)
1986 FIBA World Championship: did not participate
1987 FIBA EuroBasket: finished 8th among 12 teams
Kamil Brabenec, Stanislav Kropilák, Jià ÂàOkáÃÂ, Oto Matický, Vlastimil HavlÃÂk, Jaroslav Skála, Juraj à ½uffa, Peter Rajniak, Josef JelÃÂnek, Jozef Michalko, Leoà ¡ KrejÃÂÃÂ, à  tefan Svitek (Head coach: Pavel Petera)
1988 Summer Olympic Games: did not participate
1989 FIBA EuroBasket: did not participate
1990 FIBA World Championship: did not participate
1991 FIBA EuroBasket: finished 6th among 8 teams
Jià ÂàOkáÃÂ, Richard Petruà ¡ka, Václav Hrubý, Jozef Michalko, Leoà ¡ KrejÃÂÃÂ, Július MichalÃÂk, Pavel BeÃÂka, Jan Svoboda, VladimÃÂr Vyoral, à  tefan Svitek, Michal Jeà ¾dÃÂk, Stanislav KamenÃÂk (Head coach: Jan Bobrovský)