Rufino "Chico" Bernedo Zorzano (21 December 1926 – 3 February 2006) was a Chilean

basketball Basketball is a team sport in which two teams, most commonly of five players each, opposing one another on a rectangular Basketball court, court, compete with the primary objective of #Shooting, shooting a basketball (ball), basketball (appr ...

player. At a height of 1.72 m (5'7 ") tall, he played at the

small forward The small forward (SF), also known as the three or swingman, is one of the five positions in a regulation basketball game. Small forwards are typically shorter, quicker, and leaner than power forwards and centers but taller, larger, and stronger t ...

position. He is generally considered to be the best Chilean basketball player of all time. In November 2013,

Sebastián Piñera Miguel Juan Sebastián Piñera Echenique OMCh (; born 1 December 1949) is a Chilean billionaire businessman and politician who served as president of Chile from 2010 to 2014 and again from 2018 to 2022. The son of a Christian Democratic polit ...

, the

President of Chile The president of Chile ( es, Presidente de Chile), officially known as the President of the Republic of Chile ( es, Presidente de la República de Chile), is the head of state and head of government of the Republic of Chile. The president is re ...

, inaugurated a sports center bearing his name, in his honor, in the city of

Temuco Temuco () is a city and commune, capital of the Cautín Province and of the Araucanía Region in southern Chile. The city is located south of Santiago. The city grew out from a fort of the same name established in 1881 during Chile's invasion ...

Club career

Bernedo played

club Club may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media * ''Club'' (magazine) * Club, a ''Yie Ar Kung-Fu'' character * Clubs (suit), a suit of playing cards * Club music * "Club", by Kelsea Ballerini from the album ''kelsea'' Brands and enterprises ...

basketball in Chile with Universidad Católica (Basket UC) between 1946 and 1950.

National team career

Bernedo was the long-time

captain Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police department, election precinct, e ...

of the senior men's Chilean national basketball team. With Chile, he competed at the men's basketball tournaments at the

1952 Summer Olympics The 1952 Summer Olympics ( fi, Kesäolympialaiset 1952; sv, Olympiska sommarspelen 1952), officially known as the Games of the XV Olympiad ( fi, XV olympiadin kisat; sv, Den XV olympiadens spel) and commonly known as Helsinki 1952 ( sv, Helsin ...

and the

1956 Summer Olympics The 1956 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XVI Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event held in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, from 22 November to 8 December 1956, with the exception of the equestrian events, whi ...

. With Chile's national team, he also won bronze medals at the

1950 FIBA World Championship The 1950 FIBA World Championship, also called the 1st World Basketball Championship – 1950, was an international basketball tournament held by the International Basketball Federation in Buenos Aires, Argentina, from 22 October to 3 November ...

and the

1959 FIBA World Championship The 1959 FIBA World Championship was the 3rd FIBA World Championship, the international basketball world championship for men's teams. It was hosted by Chile from 16 to 31 January 1959. Amaury Antônio Pasos was named the MVP. The hosting citie ...

. He also played at the 1958 FIBA South American Championship.

Personal life

Bernedo was known by the nicknames "Chico", "El Petizo", and "El Rufo". Bernedo died on 3 February 2006, at the age of 79, due to heart failure.Un grande del básquetbol nos dijo adiós .
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References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Bernedo, Rufino 1926 births 2006 deaths Basketball players at the 1952 Summer Olympics Basketball players at the 1956 Summer Olympics Chilean men's basketball players 1959 FIBA World Championship players Olympic basketball players of Chile People from Cautín Province Small forwards 1950 FIBA World Championship players