ANTWERP, Belgium (June 26, 2022) -- The Canadian Women’s 3x3 team are bringing silver medals back home to Canada.

The team fell 16-13 to France in a tightly-contested gold medal game after defeating Lithuania 16-14 in the semifinals to finish second in the FIBA 3X3 World Cup 2022 in Antwerp, Belgium.

Michelle Plouffe finished with seven points, four rebounds and five blocked shots, while Katherine Plouffe finished with six points and seven rebounds in the final as the Plouffe sisters scored all of Canada’s points in the game.

“The Canada team is really a great team,” France’s Marie-Eve Paget said after the game. “You’re not in the final if you’re not a great team. We played against them in a friendly game before the World Cup and we lost twice, so this is a revenge.”

The final game saw two-seeded France score the first three points of the game before the Plouffe sisters scored on back-to-back possessions to get Canada back within one. A jumper from Hortense Limouzin put France ahead by two, but Canada responded as K. Plouffe set up M. Plouffe for an easy bucket inside to make it 5-4 France with 3:31 remaining. A two-point shot from Paget extended France’s lead back to three.

After the teams traded two-point shots, France held an 11-7 lead, but then M. Plouffe was called for a foul sending Laetitia Guapo to the line where she gave France a five-point lead with 4:26 remaining.

A baseline drive from K. Plouffe got Canada back within four, but France scored on back-to-back possessions, extending the lead to six, the largest of the game with 3:11 remaining.

Both teams were everywhere on defence in the final three minutes of the game with a gold medal on the line. After Limouzin scored on a fadeaway jumper to put France ahead by three with less than a minute remaining, K. Plouffe responded to trim the lead to two.

M. Plouffe deflected the ball out of bounds off of France and Canada got the ball back with 17.2 seconds remaining, down by two. The Canadians were unable to score on their next possession and Paget was fouled and sealed France’s victory at the line with 3.1 seconds remaining.

This is the first gold medal for France and the first silver for the Canadian women.

In Canada’s first game of the day, Katherine Plouffe led all scorers with eight points and eight rebounds. Though Canada made just two of 10 attempts from long range, they converted 11-of-22 attempts inside the arc, compared to just 4-of-12 shooting inside the arc for Lithuania.

After Lithuania tied the game at three points apiece, Canada reeled off nine straight pouts to go ahead 12-4. First there was a stepback two point shot from Kacie Bosch that gave Canada a 5-3 lead and then a layup from M. Plouffe followed by a bucket for K. Plouffe gave Canada a 7-4 lead with 5:53 remaining. Bosch scored on a reverse layup after grabbing an offensive rebound to put Canada ahead 8-4 and then the Plouffe’s scored on back-to-back possessions.

Lithuania then scored the next four points to get back within five, 15-10, with 1:59 remaining. A long two from Kamile Nacickaite brought Lithuania within three, but then M. Plouffe scored on a drive to the basket to keep Canada ahead 16-12 with 1:18 to go.

After a pair of free throws from Martyna Petrenaite brought Lithuania within two, 16-14 with 3:8 remaining, Bosch continued her strong defensive pressure she’s played with all tournament, rising to block the final shot attempt from Lithuania and seal the victory for Canada.