1973 Moscow Universiade basketball Final Usa vs Ussr

David Thompson became an international sensation by leading the United States to a gold medal in the 1973 World University Games in Moscow, U.S.S.R.
The idea behind the team the youngest ever assembled to represent the United States in international competition, averaging just 19 years of age was to restore some pride to American basketball, following last summers debacle in the disputed Olympic gold medal game against the U.S.S.R. in Munich. The 51-50 loss, in which the Russian team had three chances for a game-winning basket because of a game-clock dispute, ended the United States; 36-year unbeaten reign in international play.
They assembled in Buffalo, N.Y., a total of 19 players at tryouts that was eventually cut down to a 15-player roster by Ed Badger, the head coach of Chicagos Wilbur Wright Junior College, with Sloan as his top assistant.
Badger installed a much more aggressive defense and fast-paced offense than the U.S. had ever used under long-time Olympic coach Hank Iba, to take advantage of the scoring abilities of Thompson, Buckner, Burleson and Providences Marvin Barnes.
After the two exhibition games on American soils the team headeded to Eastern Europe to play a series of 11 exhibition games against the national teams of Poland, Yugoslavia, Czechoslovakia and Bulgaria. They headed to Moscow with a 13-0 record as a team.
After five straight blowouts, in which the U.S. scored more than 100 points in each game , the Americans got something of a challenge from Cuba, which sent the exact same squad that had won the bronze medal in Munich last summer. The American team was warned that Cuba may try to bait them into a fight,, if only to get a couple of U.S. players suspended for the medal rounds.
With 90 seconds remaining on the clock and the U.S. ahead by 30 points, Burleson and Walker hit the floor in front of the Cuban bench with Cuban player Juan Demeco. They all came up swinging.
The Cuban guy started beating and kicking Wally in the back so I grabbed his arms and shook my head No! Burleson said. He gave me a pretty good shot in the mouth and then fists started flying everywhere.
For 10 minutes, a full-scale melee ensued. Glass water bottles were thrown from the Cuban bench and shattered on the court. An American trainer was knocked unconscious with a chair by a Cuban player. Moscow police were called in from other venues to restore order, which took nearly 20 minutes.
I couldnt believe the whole thing happened, said Thompson, who scored 34 points in the 98-76 victory. After they restored order and resumed the game, we just let them score.
When play resumed, the Moscow police encircled the Cuban bench to make sure no one charged onto the floor and the Russian crowd turned against their political partners-in-arms.
The Russian fans stuck it to them, Badger said. During the game they were cheering for the Cubans. When this happened, they turned in favor of us and kept yelling Cuba out! Cuba out! The Russians proved what good sports they could be. I told them that I would tell all America about it.
The U.S. team was noticeably shaken in the semi-final contest against Brazil and nearly lost the game. In the end, however, Thompson led his fellow countrymen to a 66-60 victory.
The next day, in the main gymnasium of Moscows Palace of Sports, the U.S. and U.S.S.R. squared off in a game that symbolized the lingering animosity and distrust the worlds two superpowers share with each other, with more than 12,000 pro-Soviet fans packed in the arena.The Americans wanted to avenge what happened in Germany 11 months ago.
I knew it would be a tough game, but if we played our style of game, we would beat them,Burleson said after he returned home. We had to jump off to a lead, though, because if we came down to the final minutes trailing, the odds would be against us.They played the same as they did in Munich a slow pace with a lot of set plays and good shots. If they were leading on their home court, they should just look for a good shot that gave them a crack at winning.
Thompson didnt let that happen. After the Soviets took an early 13-8 lead, he scored four baskets as the U.S. reeled off 13 unanswered points, hitting outside jumpers and stuffing home a pair of crowd-wowing slam dunks, something he was not allowed to do back home in America under NCAA rules.
By halftime, the U.S. led 39-25. They extended that lead to 51-30 for their largest lead of the day and withstood a late surge to record the stunning 75-67 victory.Thompson finished the game with 24 points and was the unanimous selection as the tournaments Most Valuable Player, after averaging 21 points in his teams eight games in Moscow. And he completely won over the Russian crowd, which was wowed by his athletic and scoring ability.
To describe Davids play in the games, I just have to use the word the European observers used: fantastic, Sloan said.He did it all scoring in every way you can score, rebounding and defense.