When it comes to 3×3 basketball, the margin between winning and losing is especially slim.
The game is played with a 12-second shot clock, buckets count for just one or two points, and games only last for 10 minutes.
It’s in these margins that Olympic hopes live and die, and Canada’s 3×3 women’s team — competitive right until the final whistle — walked away without a medal after losing the bronze medal match to the United States on Monday.
Canada looked to be in control at one point, leading 12-9 after a Katherine Plouffe bucket with 3:05 remaining.
But no lead in 3×3 is a sure thing. The U.S. came back with some big buckets of their own and shut down Canada’s offence when it mattered most. Turnovers, missed shots, and foul trouble down the stretch led to the U.S. closing out the game on a 7-1 run.
“So bittersweet because we were expecting to medal,” said Kacie Bosch, known as Canada’s energizer bunny, post-game.
“(My teammates) started this in 2019 without any funding, just completely on themselves, and brought us to an Olympic Games. To place fourth in our first ever appearance is something to be proud of.”
The quartet of Katherine Plouffe, Michelle Plouffe, Paige Crozon, and Kacie Bosch represented Canada as the first 3×3 team in the country’s history.
Heading into Paris 2024, Canada held the No. 1 team ranking in 3×3 women’s basketball, backed by their success over the last few years, which included two consecutive FIBA 3×3 Women’s Series titles in 2022 and 2023.
From the moment they stepped onto the court at La Concorde in Paris, they posed serious problems for their opponents.
They got off to a 3-1 start with wins against Australia, China, and France and looked every bit the medal hopefuls they promised to be.
On day four of 3×3 play, Canada suffered two losses in overtime to the U.S. and Spain.
First, it was Rhyne Howard who hit a difficult side-step two-pointer to give the U.S. a one-point win. Against Spain, with the game tied at 20 in the final seconds, Michelle Plouffe had a good look at a reverse lay-up in but missed it, forcing extra time. Canada didn’t even see the ball in overtime, as Spain’s Sandra Ygueravide nailed a two to win it.
Despite a +15 point differential, Canada was 3-3 and staring down a chance at missing the play-in round entirely.
They bounced back nicely, picking up a crucial win against Azerbaijan to clinch the play-in spot, and another statement win against Australia to get into the semifinals.
But against Germany, who went on to win gold, they endured another heartbreaking defeat. With the game tied at 15, Germany’s Sonja Greinacher drove inside and hit a tough lay-up with just a few seconds left. With the clock running, Canada tried to quickly kick the ball out to the perimeter and get a shot off, but it was too late.
In the bronze medal match, Canada jumped out to a 7-3 lead after Bosch got a corner two to go. But for each time Canada tried to pull away, the U.S. would pull back.
In the final minutes it looked as though for the first time in the tournament Canada was out of gas, and the U.S. took advantage.
“The journey has been quite special, and has really been, more than words can explain how much it has meant to us,” said Michelle Plouffe.
Canada finished with a record of 5-5, but outscored their opponents by a combined 24 points. There were statement wins, close losses, and a lot of competitive basketball.
“We have called it the ultra-marathon of 3×3 tournaments,” said Crozon. “To play 10 games in five days is physically, mentally, emotionally so draining. But it’s the most amazing tournament to play in.”
After the win against Canada, Germany would go onto win the gold medal by just a point, 17-16 against Spain.
Canada’s 2028 3×3 team may look different, but coming within a possession of the gold medal game is proof they are right on the cusp of where they need to be.
“Are we satisfied?” Bosch asked. “No. I don’t know anybody in the world of sports who would be satisfied with a fourth place finish. We’re going to grow from it, we’re going to learn from it.”
