Australia and the United States of America (USA) have a long history of competing against each other in sporting events, including basketball. However, the question remains, has Australia ever beaten USA in basketball? This article takes a closer look at the history of basketball between these two nations and the results of their meetings.
History of Basketball between Australia and the USA
Basketball has been a popular sport in both Australia and the USA for many years, with both countries boasting successful teams in both the men’s and women’s leagues. The first competitive clash between Australia and the USA in basketball took place in 1959, when the USA sent a team to Australia for a series of exhibition matches. Since then, the two countries have regularly competed against each other in both international and club-level tournaments.
International Competition
The two countries have met in a variety of international tournaments, including the Olympics, the FIBA World Cup, the FIBA Asia Cup, and the FIBA Oceania Cup. In the Olympics, the USA has dominated the competition, winning 13 gold medals and 1 bronze medal since basketball was introduced in 1936. In contrast, Australia has only won 1 bronze medal in the event, in 2008.
FIBA World Cup
In the FIBA World Cup, the USA has won 5 gold medals and 1 silver medal, while Australia has only won 2 silver medals and 2 bronze medals. The most recent meeting between the two teams in the tournament was in 2014, when the USA beat Australia 98-88 in the quarter-final.
FIBA Asia Cup
The two countries have met in the FIBA Asia Cup on five occasions, with the USA winning four of the five meetings. The most recent meeting between the two teams was in 2016, when the USA won the gold medal game against Australia, 89-56.
FIBA Oceania Cup
The FIBA Oceania Cup is an annual tournament which pits Australia and the USA against each other. The two teams have met in the tournament three times, with the USA winning on each occasion. The most recent meeting was in 2018, when the USA defeated Australia 90-56.
Club Level Competition
Australia and the USA have also met in a variety of club-level tournaments, including the NBA, the WNBL and the NBL. In the NBA, the USA has had the upper hand in recent years, with the USA teams winning 11 of the last 12 meetings between the two countries. In the WNBL and NBL, the two countries have had more even results, with the USA teams winning 6 of the 12 meetings.
Basketball World Cup
In the Basketball World Cup, the two countries have met three times, with the USA winning all three meetings. The most recent meeting was in 2019, when the USA beat Australia 98-88 in the quarter-final.
Results of Matches between Australia and USA in Basketball
In summary, the USA has had the upper hand in most of the meetings between the two countries in basketball. However, there have been some notable victories for Australia in recent years, including a win in the WNBL in 2017 and a win in the NBL in 2018.
Conclusion
To answer the question, has Australia ever beaten USA in basketball? The answer is yes, although the USA has had the upper hand in most meetings between the two countries. Australia has had some notable victories in recent years, including a win in the WNBL in 2017 and a win in the NBL in 2018.
Overall, basketball is a popular and exciting sport which has seen some great matches between Australia and the USA. As the two countries continue to compete against each other in the future, it will be interesting to see if Australia can continue to challenge the USA and win more games.