EuroBasket 1946

EuroBasket 1946

Tournament details
Host country	Switzerland
City	Geneva
Dates	30 April – 4 May
Teams	10
Venue(s)	1 (in 1 host city)
Final positions
Champions	Czechoslovakia (1st title)
Runners-up	Italy
Third place	Hungary
Fourth place	France
Tournament statistics
Games played	21
MVP	François Németh
Top scorer	Pawel Stok (12.4 points per game)
← 1939 (1941 cancelled due to WWII) 1947 →

The 1946 FIBA European Championship, commonly called FIBA EuroBasket 1946, was the fourth FIBA EuroBasket regional basketball championship, held by FIBA and the first since 1939 due to World War II. Ten national teams affiliated with the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) took part in the competition. Switzerland hosted the tournament for a second time, as the championship returned to Geneva.

EuroBasket 1946 saw the beginning of the use of the jump shot, pioneered by Italy's Giuseppe Stefanini.

Controversy

Lithuania, whose Lithuania men's national basketball team has won the EuroBasket 1939, during the World War II has faced three military occupations, firstly by the Soviets in June 1940, then by the Germans in November 1941 and again was re-occupied and annexed by the Soviet Union in 1944, therefore the reigning European champion Lithuania men's national basketball team was dissolved. ^[1] Lithuanian diplomat Stasys Antanas Bačkis, who has resided in liberated France and continued to represent the Independent Lithuania's Diplomatic Service, invited representatives of the Lithuanian diaspora, ordered outfits of the Lithuania men's national basketball team and the team (which was considered by many contemporary experts as the Europe's strongest) began to prepare for the EuroBasket 1946. ^[1] However, the Soviet Union strictly protested against the Lithuanian national team's participation in the championship and the FIBA yielded to its pressure, not allowing the Lithuanians to independently compete and to try defend their European title at the EuroBasket 1946. ^[1]

Results

The 1946 competition consisted of a preliminary round, with one group of four teams and two groups of three teams each. ^[2] Each team played the other teams in its group once. ^[2] The top team in each of the groups of three and the top two teams in the group of four played in the semifinals for the top four rankings; the middle teams in the two groups of three moved directly on to the final round for a 5th/6th place playoff; the bottom team in each group of three and the two bottom teams in the group of four played in semifinals for the 7th–10th ranks. ^[2]

First round

Group A

Pos	Team	Pld	W	L	PF	PA	PD	Pts	Qualification
1	Italy	3	3	0	152	71	+81	6	Semifinal
2	Hungary	3	2	1	113	70	+43	5
3	Poland	3	1	2	91	102	−11	4	Classification 7–10
4	Luxembourg	3	0	3	53	166	−113	3

Source: fibaeurope.com

Poland	45–28	Luxembourg
Italy	39–31	Hungary
Luxembourg	10–48	Hungary
Poland	25–40	Italy
Italy	73–15	Luxembourg
Poland	21–34	Hungary

Group B

Pos	Team	Pld	W	L	PF	PA	PD	Pts	Qualification
1	France	2	2	0	112	29	+83	4	Semifinal
2	Netherlands	2	1	1	66	74	−8	3	Classification 5–6
3	England	2	0	2	38	113	−75	2	Classification 7–10

Source: fibaeurope.com

England	27–48	Netherlands
England	11–65	France
France	47–18	Netherlands

Group C

Pos	Team	Pld	W	L	PF	PA	PD	Pts	Qualification
1	Czechoslovakia	2	2	0	58	50	+8	4	Semifinal
2	Switzerland	2	1	1	50	43	+7	3	Classification 5–6
3	Belgium	2	0	2	56	71	−15	2	Classification 7–10

Source: fibaeurope.com

Czechoslovakia	20–17	Switzerland
Belgium	23–33	Switzerland
Belgium	33–38	Czechoslovakia

Final round

The middle team of each of the groups of three did not compete in the final round, as they advanced directly to the 5th/6th place playoff. ^[2] The top team of each of those groups played one of the top two teams of the group of four, with rankings 1st–4th at stake. ^[2] Similarly, the bottom team in each group of three played one of the two lower teams in the group of four in a semifinal for 7th–10th places. ^[2]

Classification 5th–10th

	Classification semifinals				Seventh place match
	England	27
	Luxembourg	50
					Luxembourg	11
					Belgium	42
	Poland	22
	Belgium	39
					Ninth place match
					England	22
					Poland	50

	Fifth place match
	Netherlands	25
	Switzerland	36

Upper bracket

	Semifinals				Final
	Czechoslovakia	42
	Hungary	28
					Czechoslovakia	34
					Italy	32
	Italy	37
	France	25
					Third place match
					Hungary	38
					France	32

1946 FIBA EuroBasket champions
Czechoslovakia 1st title

Final standings

1.   Czechoslovakia
2.   Italy
3.   Hungary
4.   France
5.    Switzerland
6.   Netherlands
7.   Belgium
8.   Luxembourg
9.   Poland
10.   England

Team rosters

1. Czechoslovakia: Ivan Mrázek, Miloš Bobocký, Jiří Drvota, Josef Ezr, Gustav Hermann, Jan Hluchy, Josef Křepela, Pavel Nerad, Ladislav Simácek, František Stibitz, Josef Toms, Ladislav Trpkoš, Emil Velenský, Miroslav Vondráček (Coach: Frantisek Hajek)

2. Italy: Cesare Rubini, Giuseppe Stefanini, Sergio Stefanini, Albino Bocciai, Mario Cattarini, Marcello de Nardus, Armando Fagarazzi, Giancarlo Marinelli, Valentino Pellarini, Tullio Pitacco, Venzo Vannini

3. Hungary: François Németh, Geza Bajari, Antal Bankuti, Geza Kardos, Laszlo Kiralyhidi, Tibor Mezőfi, György Nagy, Geza Racz, Ede Vadaszi, Ferenc Velkei (Coach: Istvan Kiraly)

4. France: Robert Busnel, André Buffière, Etienne Roland, Paul Chaumont, René Chocat, Jean Duperray, Emile Frezot, Maurice Girardot, Andre Goeuriot, Henri Lesmayoux, Jacques Perrier, Lucien Rebuffic, Justy Specker, Andre Tartary (Coach: Paul Geist)

References

1. Tvirbutas, Saulius; Karalevičius, Skirmantas (8 September 2015). "Krepšinio tyrinėtojas: 1939 m. Lietuvos krepšininkų triumfas įsiutino latvius ir sužavėjo amerikiečius". Lithuanian National Radio and Television, 15min.lt (in Lithuanian). Retrieved 6 August 2025.
2. "Games Results - 1946 European Championship for Men". FIBA . Retrieved 6 August 2025.

External links

• FIBA Europe EuroBasket 1946
• FIBA Europe article on 1940s EuroBaskets
• Eurobasket.com 1946 EChampionship