Sao Paulo, Brazil • May 15-29, 1971

Originally scheduled to be held in Chile in 1970, the Sixth Women's World Championship was postponed for a year and moved to Brazil after Chile withdrew its offer to host the event in the spring of 1970.

The team that represented the USA in 1971 was made up by three members of the AAU champion Hutcherson Flying Queens (Wayland Baptist College, Texas), six members from AAU runner-up Raytown Piperettes (Mo.), two members from third-place finishing Ouachita Baptist University (Ark.), and one player from Parsons College (Iowa). Of the 13 teams that competed in the 1971 World Championship, the USA's was the youngest and least experienced.

Despite recording six consecutive wins to finish the tournament with a respectable 6-2 record, by falling in its first two preliminary round games, finishing third in its group and failing to advance to the medal round, the United States World Championship Team was only able to manage an eighth-place finish.

The death blow to the Americans' medal hopes came early. By losing their first two games, the U.S. women failed to advance to the final round and thus any medal hopes were gone.

The United States was thumped 86-50 by South Korea in the opening game of the tournament as Myrna DeBerry scored a team-high 12 points on May 15.

In dire need of a victory, the U.S. actually led France by one at halftime, 33-32, however, France roared back and outscored the U.S. 36-18 in the second half to finish on top of a lopsided 68-51 score, despite 18 points from Carolyn Dornak and 13 from Carol Bollinger.

Ellen Mosher and Pat Ramsey scored 12 points apiece, but despite finishing the preliminary round with a commanding 76-36 victory over Ecuador, South Korea and France advanced to the final round and the U.S. was left to the consolation round.

The American team began to jell in the consolation round, reeling off three impressive wins. The first was a 70-56 decision over Ecuador as four players scored in double digits, led by Linda Gamble with 13 points. The U.S. next picked off Australia 60-49, behind 16 points from Ramsey. In a well-rounded team effort that saw every American score, including Ramsey's team-high 12 points, the USA earned a 73-44 victory over Madagascar.

Madagascar's participation marked the first time that the African continent was represented.

Breaking a 34-all halftime, the U.S. narrowly clipped Argentina 74-71 as Cherri Rapp scored 19 points and Ramsey added 18.

Four players scored in double digits, including 20 from Gamble, as the USA closed out the competition with a 80-60 win over Canada to capture eighth place.

The Soviet Union, led by 18-year old Juliana Semenova who measured 6-11, won its fourth consecutive World Championship title, Czechoslovakia earned the silver and Brazil took the bronze.

1971 USA WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP TEAM ROSTER

1971 USA WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP TEAM CUMULATIVE STATISTICS