WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP SPAIN 1986
Four years after the final in Cali, the USSR and the USA met again for the title. US hopes of a
revenge match in the Los Angeles Olympics in 1984 had been frustrated by the Soviet boycott and
now they had their opportunity although the team led by Olson did not seem as good as that of
Bobby Knight in the California games.
The US team took to the court determined to win a world title that had been denied them since
the second edition in 1954. The match started at a frenetic pace. Kenny Smith took advantage of
the counter attacks set up by the rebounds won by the powerful David Robinson, and Bogues had
the upper hand over a disconcerted Valters. The Soviet forwards struggled against the tight
defence of Elliot and McKey. The score was strongly in favour of the US but Belostenny took
advantage of a short absence by Robinson to shorten the difference to 48-38 at half time, still a
big lead but no longer conclusive.
In the second half the spectacular Kenny Smith drove his team on to increase the lead and in the
middle of the half the advantage had reached 78-60. The Soviets were missing their exterior
shots (8 triples from 26 attempts in comparison to 2 from 4 for the USA) but a single zone
defence made things easier for them. Sabonis started to dominate under the boards and they cut
the difference to ten points (81-71). With two minutes to go two triples from Homicius brought
back memories of the heroics of the previous day but this time it was not to be and after a wait of
32 years the USA regained the world title (87-85).
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FUNDACIÓN PEDRO FERRÁNDIZ