WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP PUERTO RICO 1974
had been on the point of withdrawing due to the death of President Juan Domingo Peron. The
Asians limited themselves to rough play and amassing defeat after defeat.
The real excitement was reserved for Group C. Cuba, Canada and Czechoslovakia were all aiming
for the top spots in the group. Cuba (bronze medallists at the Munich Olympics) were reaping the
benefits of Fidel Castro's sports policy and presented a fearsome side in which Pedro Chappe,
Ruperto and Tomas Herrera were the big stars. Canada, absent in the last Olympics, was led by
Jack Donahue (the man who discovered Lew Alcindor) and included James Russell a wonderful
forward and the centre Mark Hansen as their star players. Czechoslovakia was still benefiting
from the twilight years of Bobrovsky, Zidek, Brabenec and Zednicek.
Luck was with Cuba as they defeated their two main rivals by a single point and the Canadians
beat the Czechs (83-75) to take second place. Although Australia lost all their matches they put
up a good show and were never defeated by the score