PARIS, France (August 5, 2024) - The Canadian Women’s 3x3 Team fell to the United States 16-13 in the bronze-medal game to finish fourth at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.

Kacie Bosch, Paige Crozon, Katherine Plouffe and Michelle Plouffe made history by becoming the first Canadian 3x3 team, men’s or women, to appear in an Olympic Games. While they were proud of making it to Paris, they were clear from the beginning that the goal they’d set for themselves was to come home with a medal. 

“Bittersweet because we were expecting a medal of ourselves, so to leave empty-handed, as far as medals are concerned, is very tough,” Bosch said. “I know that my teammates have said it over and over again, it really is our relationship and the journey. They started this in 2019 without any funding, just completely on themselves and brought us to an Olympic Games… our first Olympic appearance is something to definitely be proud of. Are we satisfied? No, I don't know anybody in the world of sports who would be satisfied with the fourth-place finish. But yeah, we're going to learn from it. We're going to grow from it. Move on to tomorrow.”

The Canadians led early against the U.S., going ahead 7-3 after a two-pointer from Bosch, but foul trouble and turnovers changed the game in the final minutes as the United States fought their way back. After a free throw and a drive, both from Hailey Van Lith, the score was tied at 12 points apiece with 1:56 remaining.

Michelle Plouffe stole the ball from Van Lith and found Katherine Plouffe inside to give Canada a 13-12 advantage, but Bosch was called for a foul against Dearica Hamby as she scored to tie the game at 13 points apiece. Hamby made a free throw to move the U.S. in front by a point, 14-13, with 1:17 remaining.  

After Canada was called for a loose ball found while battling for a rebound, Cierra Burdick went to the line, making one of two free throws to give the U.S. a 15-13 advantage with 39 seconds remaining. Canada couldn’t connect from deep, and Burdick made one of two free throws with seven seconds remaining to give the U.S. a three-point lead. Canada ran out of time to try to complete a comeback.

Canada arrived at the Paris Olympic Games five years after Crozon and the Plouffe sisters founded the team in 2019. 

“It's been quite a journey in the last five years, and like we always said, the journey has been quite special, and it's really been more than words [can explain] how much it has grown us and [how much] it's meant to us,” Michelle Plouffe said. “Obviously, a medal would've been a cherry on top. But I'm just so thankful for the relationship we have with each other and the support we've had from our families and our friends and everyone back home who's just seen us start from the bottom, from below the bottom, from nothing, to be at an Olympic Games and that's pretty special. 

“And obviously, we didn't get the outcome we wanted, but like we've always said, even in the wins and the losses before this, it doesn't make the journey any less important or less special than it was," Michelle Plouffe continued. "The whole point was the journey, and I'm very proud of our team and just the resilience we've had and have faced through the last five years. It's been a ride. It obviously sucks to go out this way, but it's been such a blessing, and I'm so grateful for the last five years, really. The spotlight that it brought.”

Earlier in the day, Canada dropped a 16-15 decision to Germany in the semifinal as Sonja Greinacher scored a game-high 11 points, including a last-second shot to give Germany the one-point victory.

Foul trouble was also an issue for Canada against Germany, as the Canadians were called for eight fouls to just four for the Germans. Canada’s seventh foul came with 4:29 minutes remaining, sending Greinacher to the line to make a pair of free throws to trim Canada’s advantage to two, 8-10. 

Greinacher scored on back-to-back possessions to tie the game with 3:50 remaining. The teams traded baskets, and back-to-back scores for Michelle Plouffe gave Canada a two-point lead, 13-11, but Greinacher took over, scoring Germany’s final five points of the game, including the last-second shot inside to beat the buzzer and give Germany the 16-15 victory.

Canada’s journey to Paris has put a spotlight on 3x3 Basketball, and the spotlight is one that the players embrace.

“That was our goal, which was to grow the game of 3x3 when we started, and we put a team together for Canada,” Michelle Plouffe said. “Our vision was always bigger than just our team. And to have an actual program and to have the support of Canada Basketball and to have girls who are now interested in playing 3x3, it's huge. It was never just about us. It was always about leaving something, leaving a legacy behind, and I think we've made a big leap forward in doing that. So it's been a huge journey, and I'm just so grateful.”