How did the New York Rens defeat the Harlem Globetrotters in the 1939 tournament?

Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.

In the 1939 World Professional Basketball Tournament, the New York Rens defeated the Harlem Globetrotters with a score of 27–23 during the third round of the competition.1

While the Harlem Globetrotters were known for incorporating trickery and comic elements into their performances, they played the 1939 tournament as a serious, competitive team. Despite this, the Rens successfully overcame them in a bracket that many believed was structured to ensure only one Black team would advance to the finals. Following this victory, the Rens went on to defeat the Oshkosh All-Stars in the championship game to become the first professional basketball world champions.1