Vitebsk became the birthplace of Belarusian basketball. It was in this city that the first team (men's) was formed, which in 1923 took part in the first all-Union basketball competitions. At the same time, the squad from a modest Belarusian city managed to take 3rd place, losing only to the teams from Moscow and Petrograd.
A year later, basketball began to actively develop in Minsk. In 1928, the Belarusian women's team took 1st place at the first All-Union Spartakiad, and the men's team took second. At the end of 1929, 2.4 thousand people played basketball in Belarus.
After World War II, Belarusian teams competed in the USSR Championship, but were not leaders and were practically not among the winners. Only at the end of the 80s women's team“Horizon” managed to climb onto the podium for the first time: in 1989, the Minsk team took second place in the USSR Championship. In 1991 they became third.
Basketball players in dresses
In post-Soviet times, basketball was not among the most popular. The surge of interest dates back to 1994, when the Belarusian youth team became the European champion. Several Belarusian basketball players were invited to US universities and played for local basketball teams in the NCAA. However, the Belarusians failed to break into the NBA. Having moved to the level of national teams, the team was unable to repeat the success.
The women's team is much more successful, which in the country is called “the most beautiful team in Belarus.” In 2006, Belarusians, under the leadership of coach Anatoly Buyalsky, reached the final tournament of the European Championship for the first time and sensationally took third place, winning bronze medals.
Then the women's team made it to the Olympics in Beijing, becoming the first sovereign team in the history of Belarus in team sports to win the right to represent the country at the main competition of the four-year period. Our team reached the quarterfinals, where they lost to the Chinese team. As a result, the Belarusians took 6th place.
Then there were 4th places at the 2009 European Championships in Riga and at the 2010 World Championships in the Czech Republic. However, in 2011, at the European Championships in Poland, the team did not perform very well and finished only 9th. After this he left the team Main coach Anatoly Buyalsky. Under the leadership of a new coach, Lithuanian Rimantas Grigas, the team won a ticket to the 2013 European Championship in France.
The Belarusian women's basketball team is one of the three most popular national teams.
It is worth noting that the Belarusian women's team was the first among all other teams to start competing in sports dresses, rather than T-shirts and shorts.
Hostage of three seconds
The most famous Belarusian basketball player is Ivan Edeshko. He didn't play in the NBA, didn't score 50 points a game. Yes, he won 8 USSR championships, the Champions Cup and two European championships. But he became famous all over the world thanks to one single pass. In the now legendary match between the USSR and the USA in the final of the 1972 Olympics in Munich, Ivan Edeshko, 3 seconds before the end of the match, gave a magnificent pass across the entire court to Alexander Belov, who scored the winning goal - 52:51. The USSR national team won the Olympic tournament for the first time in its history.
Current basketball player Elena Levchenko is well known in women's basketball. She's a member Olympic Games in Beijing, as well as the European Championships 2007, 2009, 2011. as part of the national team of Belarus.
Elena became the champion of Poland, Russia, Lithuania, and was a participant in the WNBA finals. She was recognized as the most useful basketball player in the Baltic League (2000), and twice - in 2002 and 2003 - was among the top ten best college players in the United States. She was recognized as the best center at the 2010 World Cup.
Tsmoki are attacking!
Unlike the 90s of the last century, Belarusian basketball today is on the rise. The best domestic basketball players not only perform in top clubs abroad, but also remain in their homeland, defending the colors of Belarusian clubs, which allows them to raise the level of the national championship. BC "Tsmoki-Minsk" represents Belarus in the VTB United League - a basketball project that unites the strongest basketball clubs in Eastern Europe.
The successful performance of the Belarusian women's team attracts the attention of fans and stimulates the popularity of basketball. Student basketball is actively developing - all universities in Belarus have their own teams.
Streetball appeared in the USA in 1950. At first, he gathered children from the poorest neighborhoods at the venues, gained wild popularity at the end of the last century, and celebrated his 70th anniversary at the Olympics in Tokyo. In June, the “half-hearted” version of basketball was officially included in the Games program, making us think seriously: who will represent our country at the Olympic level?
Streetball competitions always attract attention.
photo palova.by
People love 3x3 basketball in Belarus, but it’s one thing to run in the school yard or win amateur tournaments, and it’s quite another to compete for Olympic medals. Therefore, the task set before the recently appointed coaches of the national 3x3 basketball teams of Belarus seems difficult, even at first glance. First of all, because there are no national teams as such in the country. Two years ago, Belarusian basketball players, however,
Yuri Volk. Photo palova.by
We managed to get to the second step of the podium at the European Youth Championships held in Minsk, but then it was a completely different game, without any Olympic overtones. And that team, according to its head coach Yuri Volk, was only a conditional national team.
Apparently, Belarusian fans will pin their main hopes on the girls at the upcoming European Games, the program of which includes 3x3 basketball, although it will not be easy for Wolf’s players to justify them:
- We are developing, but so far much slower than basketball fans would like. Some experts, for example, are still very skeptical and jealous of streetball, and often at coaching councils we have to literally defend the right of our sport to live. Thanks to the efforts of the Chairman of the Belarusian Basketball Federation Maxim Ryzhenkov, the Ministry of Sports should soon officially create national 3x3 basketball teams. Before this, we did not receive any funding, and without it it is difficult to talk about development with an eye to the Olympics.
Which of today's youth will go to the Tokyo Olympics?
photo palova.by
The 2015 European Championship, which, by the way, was also viewed with a fair amount of skepticism at first, became a turning point for Belarusian streetball. Before this, 3x3 basketball actually existed at the amateur level. The federation had difficulty finding funds to meet the needs of the “classic” teams, and brushed aside the timid proposals of streetball players as an intrusive fly. But in 2015, one of the construction companies took up the development of 3x3 basketball. Today we can only guess whether streetball could have become a profitable investment, but the result of the investment was a surge of attention and the Palova site in the center of Minsk. By the way, in 2019 it will also host a 3x3 basketball tournament during the European Games.
Incorporating streetball into Olympic program- not only a tribute to fashion, but also a strategic move. Compared to “classical” basketball, 3x3 tournaments have a number of advantages, which were appreciated and adopted by the International Basketball Federation. Firstly, television, for which a dynamic and constantly changing picture on the court is much more interesting than a regular match. Secondly, the format of the competition, in which several matches take place simultaneously, an ending occurs every 15 minutes, and it is impossible to predict the champion until the last seconds. It is not surprising that those who wanted to take up 3x3 basketball seriously quickly found themselves among the professionals. Yuri Volk, however, notes that this activity does not eliminate the issue of recruiting national teams - the time when everyone who wanted to play was invited to the national team has passed: 
In 2015 at youth championship In Europe, Belarusians have already felt the taste of victory.
photo palova.by
- It is important to understand that 5x5 basketball is significantly different from the 3x3 game. Most of those who participate in the traditional summer tournament at the Palova Arena play classic basketball during the season, but when it comes to the European Games and the Olympics, the preparation and attitude must be somewhat different. In volleyball, for example, at some stage they came to the understanding that high level it is impossible to combine classical and Beach volleyball. By the way, among the guys in Belarus there are basketball players who have been playing only streetball for 10 years. They even go to some tournaments. From them you can assemble a national team. For girls, everything is somewhat more complicated, and you have to look for national teams among those who compete in the Belarusian championship. There is no point in counting on being able to create a professional 3x3 championship: there are not enough players and funds in the country even for classical basketball.
Sabira Agayeva is one of the hopes of streetball players. Photo by Sergei Lozyuk.
By the way, for those who play at a more serious level than the Belarusian championship, the offer to continue working as part of the 3x3 team after the end of the season most often did not cause much joy. Some were on vacation, some were getting ready to go to school, some were tired, some were recovering from injuries. In 2015, only Anna Lappo, Maria Adashchik and Nastya Sushchik managed to catch up, but even with them the Belarusian team took second place. Now, Yuri Volk notes, thanks to the creation of official national teams, it will be possible to provide boys and girls with bets, equipment and tournaments, which means it will be easier to assemble a team:
- With an eye on the Olympics or European Games, you can even pull up the girls from the national team. Imagine if we could release Elena Levchenko, Tatyana Likhtarovich and Ekaterina Snytina onto the set! By the way, some players of the national team are already actively interested in how to get to the Olympics with a 3x3 team, they offer to come to the training camp and prepare. With such a lineup, we would definitely be able to compete with the French and even the American women.
By the way, the head coach of the Belarusian women's team, Natalya Trofimova, does not rule out this scenario: “If the girls find it interesting, and participation in streetball tournaments does not affect any other plans and preparation of the main team, then why not?” True, this solution, according to Trofimova, in any case will be half-hearted:
Natalya Trofimova: players must make a choice. Photo by Sergei Lozyuk.
- Perhaps I’m too conservative, but for me 3x3 basketball is some completely new, just emerging sport. This year we were again faced with the fact that just at the moment when preparations for the new season begin at Horizon, some players continue to train in the 3x3 team. Of course, this is the choice of the girls themselves, but streetball is much more selfish, dynamic and power look, where, by the way, injuries are not uncommon.
One of those with whom the hopes of 3x3 basketball are pinned is Sabira Agayeva from Horizon, representing the Minsk region. In the current “call-up” of Yuri Volk, the girl turned out to be the youngest, but, according to the coaches, her character is exclusively streetball, and in the future it will be from her peers that a new, “specialized” team will be built. Sabira, by the way, is not against such a division, noting that the younger generation is able to solve the personnel problem over time:
- The team consists of quite experienced girls, who, even if they want, will find it difficult to adapt to the realities of 3x3 basketball. They win there due to character and toughness. In streetball you can't win with tactics or three-point shots. Everyone has already understood this. The Russian national team, which won the European Championship this year, did not have a single representative of the “classical” team. Yes, the Belarusian 3x3 team is not so strong yet, but we have good players. I think the level will increase over time: the main thing is that they don’t forget about us.
BASKETBALL
Sport game basketball was born in the United States of America. It was invented in 1891 in Springfield, Massachusetts, in training center Christian Youth Association. A young teacher, James Naismith, a native of Canada, came up with a completely new game to spice up his gymnastics lessons. He took two fruit baskets without bottoms and attached them to the balcony railing. It was necessary to throw into baskets soccer ball. This is where this game gets its name: ball – ball, basket – basket.
From this moment the history of the development of basketball began. A year later, Naismith proposed the rules by which the game of basketball should be played. These rules contained 13 points. However, the very first matches showed that the rules needed to be improved and changed. There were many things that got in the way further development games. For example, fans on the balconies could catch a flying ball and try to throw it into the opponent’s basket. Therefore, the baskets began to be covered with shields. And in 1893, a net appeared, hung on an iron ring. And yet, the history of the creation of basketball led to the fact that the first official rules were approved in the USA in 1894, and the game itself turned out to be so dynamic and interesting that the whole world is now playing it.
From the USA, basketball first penetrated into the eastern countries - China, Japan and the Philippines, and after them to South America and Europe. Ten years later, during the Olympic Games in St. Louis, athletes from the United States, with the help of teams from several cities, organized an exhibition tournament. Subsequently, at the Olympic Games until 1928, basketball was also only for demonstration purposes. Then the history of the development of basketball continued with the help of its support from national federations, which were created in different countries, and primarily in the USA. It is the national federations that begin to organize international tournaments. Back in 1919, the first international tournament basketball between army teams from the USA, France and Italy.
The history of the development of women's basketball began in 1923. This year the first international women's tournament took place, in which teams from the USA, England and Italy participated. As the game began to gain more recognition and popularity around the world, the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) was formed in 1932. Its first composition included only 8 countries - Argentina, Italy, Greece, Portugal, Sweden, Latvia, Czechoslovakia, Romania. And in 1935, the International Olympic Committee recognized basketball Olympic form sports, and the very next year in Berlin this game was included in the program of the Olympic Games. Guest of honor olympic tournament basketball was its creator James Naismith. Teams from 21 countries took part in this tournament.
Basketball (English basket - basket, ball - ball) is a sports team game with a ball. Basketball is played by two teams, each consisting of five players. The goal of each team is to throw the ball into the opponent’s hoop with a net (basket) with their hands and prevent the other team from taking possession of the ball and throwing it into their own basket. The basket (ring with mesh) is located at a height of 3.05 meters from the floor (10 feet). There are 5 people from each team on the court, a total of 12 people in the team, substitutions are not limited. For a ball thrown from near and middle distance, 2 points are counted, from the far side (from behind the three-point line) - 3 points. A free throw is worth one point. The standard size of a basketball court is 28 meters long and 15 meters wide. Basketball is one of the most popular sports in the world.
Basketball has been part of the Olympic Games program since 1936. James Naismith was there as a guest. Regular World Basketball Championships have been held for men since 1950, for women since 1953, and European Championships since 1935.
In Europe, international club competitions are held: Euroleague ULEB, European Cup ULEB, Challenge Cup.
The game reached its greatest development in the USA, where one of the strongest basketball championships was organized - the National Basketball Association (NBA) championship, also considered national species sports in Lithuania (see LBL).
The origins of Belarusian basketball are in Vitebsk. It was in this city that it was created sport Club railway workers "Subbotnik", in which they cultivated Athletics, gymnastics, football, skiing and basketball.
In 1923, the Vitebsk men's team took part in the first all-Union basketball competitions, where they took an honorable third place, losing only to the teams of Moscow and Petrograd. This event became a serious impetus for the development of basketball in the Vitebsk region.
Minsk became the second basketball center. In 1924, there were 4 teams that held competitions among themselves. In July of the same year, the first republican holiday took place in Minsk, the program of which included basketball competitions.
First official international competitions basketball were held at the 2nd All-Belarusian Physical Education Festival in August 1926 with the participation of teams from Vitebsk, Minsk, Bobruisk, Mogilev, Borisov, Orsha, Slutsk, Mozyr and Polotsk.
The performance of Belarusian basketball players at the first All-Union Spartakiad in 1928 was successful. The women's team took 1st place, defeating the Ukrainian national team in the final. The men's team of the republic, having lost to the Ukrainian team, took second place.
By the fall of 1929, the republic had 91 basketball courts, over 100 specialized sections and 2,378 basketball players. During those same years, only track and field was ahead of basketball in popularity.
The debut at the all-Union championships took place in 1934, when the Minsk men's team took penultimate sixth place. The first women's all-Union championship also took place in 1934. 7 teams took part in it, the Minsk team took 5th place. Club starts began to be held in 1937 with a small number of participating teams. In the second club championship, Spartak Vitebsk took overall 17th place.
Since 1945, Minsk teams competed in the men's championships from our republic under different names (DKA, DO, Bolshevik, Iskra, Spartak, Radiotekhnik, Burevestnik), which invariably were below the medal list. It is worth noting only the victory of Minsk residents in 1961 in the championship of the Spartak DSO. For a long time Our basketball players, who also played at the All-Union Championships for Minsk teams (Spartak, Bolshevik, Iskra, Burevestnik, Dynamo, Radiotekhnik), could not get to the forefront either.
And only in 1963 was the greatest success achieved, when at the III Spartakiad of the Peoples of the USSR the national team of the republic managed to make it to the finals, where it took a high sixth place.
1948 went down in the history of Belarusian basketball as the year of the organization of the first children's sports school.
Since 1947 Belarusian Federation basketball, together with other union republics, were part of the International Basketball Federation as part of the USSR federation. In 1992, an independent republican public association "Belarusian Basketball Federation" was created, which became one of the founders of the creation of the National Olympic Committee of the Republic of Belarus.
On July 10, 1992, the Executive Committee of the International Basketball Federation accepted our national federation as a member of FIBA. On January 11, 1994, the public association "Belarusian Basketball Federation" was registered by the National Olympic Committee of the Republic of Belarus, and in 1997 by the Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Belarus. Re-registration with the Ministry of Justice was carried out in 1999, 2001, 2005 and 2006, certificate No. 00835.
The color emblem (logo) of the NGO "BSE" was officially approved by the Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Belarus in 2001.
The earliest evidence of a game resembling basketball is found among the ancient civilizations of Central and South America on the Yukotan Peninsula - these are sites surrounded by walls; scientists attribute them to monuments of the 7th century BC. They were decorated with sculptures of gods and other symbols of religion. An indispensable part of the religious festivals of that time was a game with a ball made of resin. It was called a “pok-tank”. The players tried to hit the ball (touching it only with their hips and knees) at targets located on each side of the court, which were flat stone slabs with a hole drilled in the center.
In Mexico in the 16th century, the Aztecs played “Ollamapitzli” - they tried to throw a massive rubber ball into a fixed stone ring. An engraving made in 1603 by Bruns depicts a game that predates basketball, and Viet described the game as popular in Florida in his Encyclopedia of Sports (1818). Its meaning was that it was necessary to throw the ball into a basket attached to the top of a pole as often as possible.
However, the credit for “inventing” modern basketball goes to Canadian native Dr. James Naismith.
Naismith decided to position the target in the new game not vertically, as in previous games, but horizontally, so that players would throw the ball in an arc, and the force that would cause roughness would have no effect. There is no way to throw the ball at a goal lying on the floor and surrounded by opponents, and Naismith decides to raise the goal above the heads of the players. The first classes were successful. Many teachers came to watch the fascinating spectacle. Soon the girls began to play too. One of the students in Naismith's class suggested calling the game "Naismith ball", but Naismith immediately rejected the proposal. The students then called Naismith's invention "basketball." “We have a basket (in English “basket”), we have a ball (in English “ball”). The teacher thought this name was apt.
The date of birth of basketball is considered to be 1891, when James Naismith introduced the game for the physical training of students at Springfield College (USA), which marked the beginning modern basketball. This “invention” was destined to conquer the whole world in a short time. Naismith himself did not think about it. He just wanted to find a more interesting sport than gymnastics so that students would not get bored during those winter months when the weather did not allow football and baseball to be played.
B. A watchman named
■ Bebbins. They were attached to the balconies on both sides of the small gymnasium. Naismith took an ordinary soccer ball and invited each team to try to throw it into the basket. Stebbins 1 had to stand on a stepladder and retrieve 1 ball from the baskets. In that first game, Stebbins didn't have to do much work - the I ball only went into the basket once.
I To avoid rudeness in the game, Naismith wrote the first rules, according to which players were forbidden to grab each other with their hands, fight with force, etc. Later, in order to avoid interference in the first game by emotional fans sitting on the balcony, the baskets were | fenced off from them with a shield, and the bottom of the baskets was cut off. Now they have been replaced by metal rings from which nets are suspended, but the height of the baskets above the floor has remained the same - 3.05 m. At this height | those were balconies in the hall.
I They consisted of 13 points. The most complete and logical summary of the origins of the game and the principles on which it was built is given in Franklin Lindeberg’s book “Basketball: Play and Learning.” - M.: Physical culture and sport, 1971.
But dribbling the ball in all its variants was legalized in 1896. The game received recognition and rapidly spread throughout the vast territory of America. The Army and Navy were the first mediators in the spread of basketball. YMCA Training School Christian association of young people - favored the growth of basketball in two directions.
Firstly, since these departments were intensely looking for any the new kind physical activity that might interest members of their organization, they quickly adopted the game.
Secondly, while the Triangle spread word of the new game through the press, the training school students in turn promoted the game by going to various parts of the country to continue working with the youth. It was the YMCA that first recognized the need for a “winter” sport and provided equipment for the game.
The first college games took place shortly after the game's creation. There is evidence that basketball was played in colleges in Iowa and Minnesota in 1892. Basketball was also played in high schools. Already in 1895, official basketball competitions were held in the United States. Six years later, the first interzonal student games were organized and, in the same year, basketball was “exported” from the Pan-American Exposition in Buffalo.
The Amateur Athletic Union, athletic clubs, colleges, high schools, churches, towns and industries supported the teams, and basketball became famous throughout the United States.
Recognition did come to Naismith: in 1911, Springfield College awarded him an honorary Master of Physical Education degree, in 1931, an award from the Health, Physical Education and Recreation Association, and in 1939, Mac Pill University awarded him the degree of Doctor of Medicine. And finally, in 1968, the Naismith Museum, a basketball hall of fame, was opened on the grounds of Springfield College.
The first stage of basketball development, covering 1891-1918. - these are the years of its formation as a new game. In 1894, the first official rules of the game were published in the USA, according to which competitions began to be held. Simultaneously with the spread of the game, the formation of its technology and tactics took place. Technical techniques appeared - catching, passing, dribbling and throwing the ball into the basket.
True, at first these techniques were performed on the spot and with both hands. Tactics determined the functions of the players and divided them into attackers and defenders.
In 1904, at the III Olympic Games in St. Louis, the Americans organized an exhibition basketball tournament between teams from several cities.
Since 1913 there has been an intensive evolution of the rules:
throwing the ball in from the sideline;
free throw (disputed in the center of the court after the goal was scored);
initial throw.
The second stage of development of the game - 1919-1931. - characterized by the creation of national basketball federations. In 1919, the first international basketball tournament took place between the teams (men) of the USA, Italy and France.
In 1924, at the VIII Olympics in Paris, an international exhibition tournament was held with the participation of athletes from France, Italy, Great Britain and the USA. The winners were the British basketball players.
In 1927, Forest Allais, founder of the American Basketball Coaches Association, began negotiations with the IOC to include basketball as a demonstration sport in the 1932 Games. However, his attempts were unsuccessful.
The third stage of basketball development, covering 1932-1947, is characterized by the comprehensive development of world basketball. A significant event in the history of the game was the creation on June 18, 1932 of the International Basketball Federation - FIBA. Originally at FIBA
^■rpo 8 countries: Argentina, Greece, Italy, Latvia, Portugal, Romania - Switzerland and Czechoslovakia.
The game quickly gained recognition all over the world. In 193S, the first European championship among men's teams was held in N&neva; basketball players from the Baltic countries dominated. The first thing to compete in Europe was the Latvian team. The first women's championship was held in 1938 in Rome. The national team of Italy won it. In 1935, the IOC decided to recognize tennis ball as an Olympic sport. And in the XI Olympic Games tournament in 1936, 21 countries took part. The first Olympic champion was the team from the country - the birthplace of basketball - the USA team.
K-"" The fourth stage of basketball development covers the period from 1948 to K1965. At this time, 50 countries were already members of FIBA. The federation has taken one of the leading places among international sports | ny associations. In 1950, the first championship took place in Argentina. I World Nats among men's teams, which was won by the home team. In 1953, the first world champions were US athletes, the games were held in Chile. Subsequently, world championships among men's and women's teams began to be held regularly, once every four years.
Every year, under the leadership of FIBA, the European Champions Cup and Basketball Cup Winners' Cup are held. In 1972, the IOC decided to include women's basketball in the program of the XXI Olympic Games in Montreal (1976). Currently, FIBA unites about 200 national federations from five continents (data for 2005).
Development of basketball in Russia, USSR
Basketball was first played in Russia in 1906, when the Mayak sports society organized the first basketball team. The students were taught by Eric Moraller, who came from the USA. In December 1908, the first official basketball tournament was played in the St. Petersburg Mayak society between four teams, named by the color of their T-shirts - “purple”, “green”, “white”, “red”. In 1909, the first international match of Russian basketball players was held. The strongest team of the Mayak society, the “lilac” team led by captain Stepan Vasiliev, won against the US team, formed from members of the Christian association. The game received true recognition and development in the USSR after 1917. The district departments of Universal Education had a great influence on the development of basketball. In 1920, the game became a compulsory discipline in all educational institutions.
Period from 1923 to 1939 - stage of formation of the Soviet school of basketball. At this time, the popularity of the game is growing, the game is quickly spreading throughout the country.
In 1922, the 1st USSR basketball championship was held. In 1949 - USSR Cup.
In 1939-1941. new rules are being introduced, approaching international ones, competitions are held with the participation of the Baltic republics, which have experience in international meetings.
1947-1952 - the years of establishment of the Soviet game in the international arena. In 1947, the USSR Basketball Federation became a member of FIBA and received the opportunity to participate in official international competitions. The first performance of Soviet basketball players in the European Championship ended in genuine triumph - the team became the 1947 European champion. In 1950, the success of the men's team was repeated by Soviet women's basketball players, winning the title of European champions for the first time.
In 1952, for the first time, Soviet basketball players started at the XV Olympic Games held in Helsinki, winning silver medals in the Olympic tournament at the first attempt.
1952 is the year of the debut of the USSR men's team at the Olympic Games. Winning silver medals in the Olympic tournament on the first try is an outstanding achievement of the Soviet basketball school. The USSR became one of the leading basketball powers in the world.
The USSR men's team was fourteen times European champion, three-time world champion, four-time silver and three-time bronze medalist at the Olympic Games. In 1972, at the XX Olympic Games in Munich, the USSR men's team snatched Olympic gold points from the US team 3 seconds before the end of the match.
In 1976, Soviet women basketball players took part in the XXI Olympic Games in Montreal (1st place). In 1980, at the XXII Olympic Games in Moscow - 1st place. The national women's team was the European champion 18 times and the world champion 6 times.
Development of basketball in Belarus
The Vitebsk club “Subbotnik” began to cultivate basketball in Belarus in 1921 (among railway workers). In 1923, the Vitebsk men's team took 3rd place at the 1st All-Union competition, behind the teams of Moscow and Perm. Minsk became the second basketball center. In 1924, there were already 4 teams in the city.
In 1924, the republic held its first official competitions in basketball as part of the first All-Belarusian Spartakiad. The Vitebsk team took first place. In 1926, the Minsk residents won. At the 1928 All-Union Spartakiad, the Belarusian women's basketball team won, winning the final match against the Ukrainian team with a score of 18:16. The men's team, losing to the Ukrainian team with a score of 12:23, took 2nd place. This achievement was never repeated. By 1929, the republic had 91 courts, 100 clubs, and 2,378 people were involved in basketball. Until 1934, the national teams of Vitebsk, Minsk, and Gomel achieved high sports results at All-Union competitions.
In the post-war years, Minsk became the center of Belarusian basketball. A significant role in this belongs to the District House of Officers and the Institute of Physical Culture. Since 1940, basketball matches between BSSR clubs have been held.
In 1949, the BSSR Cup was played for the first time. The women's and men's teams "Bolshevik" (Minsk) won.
The first post-war successes came to Belarusian basketball players in 1961. The men's team "Spartak" (Minsk) takes 1st place in the All-Union Championship of the Children's Sports Society "Spartak". The title of master of sports in basketball was awarded to V. Krisevich, V. Ovchinnikov, A. Gorkavenko,
S. Pastushik, V. Shkhinyan, A. Sergienko, E. Kruman. Then, in 1963, the national women's team of the republic took 6th place at the III Spartakiad of the Peoples of the USSR. This is the success of Belarusian basketball at that time. The men's team took 14th place at this Spartakiad.
At the IV Spartakiad of the Peoples of the USSR in 1967, the women's and men's national teams of the BSSR took 2 places. In subsequent years, mainly due to the efforts of enthusiasts (L.I. Guseva, V.A. Kudryashov, L.N. Makarevich, A.N. Martsinkevich, I.A. Panin, L.L. Shchukina, etc. ). The popularity of the game is growing, a new generation of gifted players is emerging, such as Ivan Edeshko, Nikolai Krasnitsky, Oleg Bogomolov, Vasily Peklenkov, Valery Akimov, Alexey Shukshin. At the V Spartakiad of the Peoples of the USSR in 1971, the men's national team of the republic took 5th place. This is the best result in the history of Belarusian basketball. The women's team took only 14th place at this Spartakiad. At the VI Spartakiad, the men's team takes 7th place, the women's - 12th.
At the VII Spartakiad, men became the eighth team in the country, women - ninth. After a long break (since 1928), the Belarusian basketball players achieved real triumph at the VIII Spartakiad of the Peoples of the USSR, where they became bronze medalists for the first time in the history of Belarusian basketball. More than 200 basketball coaches currently work in Belarus, 2 of them are honored coaches of the Soviet Union (I.A. Panin, S.L. Khalipsky). Honored trainers of the Belarusian SSR - V.I. Belevich, V.M. Vasilevsky, S.S. Vitorsky, L.I. Guseva, A.P. Ivanovsky, E.B. Katsman, V.M. Kolos, L.N. Makarevich, A.N. Malashko, R.I. Pyshnyus, M.I. Selyunina, M.A. Thais,
A.A. Shukshin, E.N. Eliseev, V.P. Vavlev, G. Kets and others. Honored Masters of Sports - T. Beloshapko, I. Edeshko, G. Savitskaya - were trained by Belarusian coaches. T. Beloshapko and I. Edeshko are Olympic champions. Judges of the international category have been trained in Belarus -
V. Vasilevsky (Minsk), B. Tsarikov (Gomel), G. Bekish (Grodno), judges of the all-Union (highest national) and national categories.
Until 1992, Belarusian basketball was inextricably linked with USSR basketball. Two teams: men's: RTI (Minsk) and women's “Horizon” (Minsk) took part in the Olympic Games, World and European Championships. The players of these teams were part of the USSR national teams.
The most significant success was achieved by a student of the Grodno Youth Sports School, and later of the Spartak and Minsk RTI teams, Ivan Edeshko - Honored Master of Sports, Knight of the Order of the Red Banner of Labor. Champion of the XX and 3rd medalist of the XXI Olympic Games, world champion
year and 2nd prize-winner in 1978, winner of the European Championships in 1971, 1977, 2nd prize-winner in 1975 and 3rd prize-winner in 1973, winner of the European Champions Cup in 1971 (first coach - A. I. Martsinkevich).
As part of the USSR youth teams, European champions were: A. Shukshin, 1968, E.B. Katsman, A. Zhed, 1973, 1974, M.A. Taits, A. Popkov, 1974, N.P. Zarubin, V. Kravchenko, 1974, E. Kravchenko,
g., A. Satyrev, 1979
Silver awards of the World Universiade were awarded to A. Popkov, V. Kravchenko -1977, K. Shereverya, E. Pustogvar -1981.
T. Beloshapko (Ivinskaya) - ZMS, champion of the XXII Olympic Games, winner of the European Championships among juniors in 1973, champion of the World Universiade in 1979, third prize-winner of the Spartakiad of the Peoples of the USSR in 1983, (first coach L.I. . Gusev). G. Savitskaya - ZMS, European champion among girls in 1978, among juniors in 1979, twice among adults - 1980, 1981, winner of the Friendship-84 tournament and the World Universiade 1981, third prize-winner of the Spartakiad of the Peoples of the USSR 1983 (first coach - M.I. Shimanskaya).
Since 1992, the Republic of Belarus begins to hold its national basketball championship, in which 12 men's and 9 women's teams participate. The first champions were the men's team - RTI and the women's team - "Horizon" (Minsk). The teams of the Republic of Belarus are part of FIBA and take part in the qualifying games of the European Championship, World Cup, and Olympic Games. In 1997, the Republic of Belarus Cup was held for the first time. Its first champions were the women's team "Olympia" (Grodno) and the men's team "Grodno-93".
The Spartakiads of the Republic of Belarus are held every four years.