Former Ute Michelle Plouffe Leads Team Canada In Close Loss To Germany
Aug 1, 2024, 2:30 AM
PARIS, FRANCE - JULY 30: Anneli Maley #24 of Team Australia drives to the basket against Michelle Plouffe #1 of Team Canada during a Women's Pool Round on day four of the Olympic Games Paris 2024 at Esplanade Des Invalides on July 30, 2024 in Paris, France. (Photo by Lars Baron/Getty Images)
(Photo by Lars Baron/Getty Images)
PARIS – Team Canada’s 3×3 Women’s Basketball team made a midgame comeback to take the lead against Germany but ultimately fell short in the end.
Two of Canada’s three starters, Michelle Plouffe and Paige Crozon, and head coach Kim Gaucher played college basketball at the University of Utah.
Plouffe and Crozon combined for 9 points on 4/7 shooting in the 19-15 loss on Thursday.
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Still plenty to play for
Canada 🇨🇦 hits the court again later today at 4pm ET as they take on the hosts France 🇫🇷#PARIS2024 #3x3WNT pic.twitter.com/Ljux4ImZDC
— Canada Basketball (@CanBball) August 1, 2024
Germany Halts Canadian Comeback In Paris
The start of the game was not pretty for Team Canada to say the least.
They threw up five missed shots and two turnovers before breaking the seal over the first two minutes. Germany was able to build a 6-1 lead on the shoulders of Sonja Greinacher.
Greinacher made two two-point shots in the first 90 seconds. When the defense came out to contest, she then went inside and used her 6-foot-2 frame for easy layups.
Canada’s second bucket was a big one for their momentum. Plouffe converted an and-one to drop the lead from six to four.
FOUL, COUNT THE BASKET
Canada with some work to do early, looking to come back from 7-1 down
🇨🇦 3 – 7 🇩🇪 | 5:42#Paris2024 #3x3WNT
— Canada Basketball (@CanBball) August 1, 2024
Team Canada immediately went on a run after Plouffe’s two-point play.
Katherine Plouffe scored three points in 20 seconds and then Kacie Bosch tied the game at 7-7 off an assist from Crozon.
After Germany responded with two Svenja Brunckhorst points, Team Canada’s two Utes made back-to-back two-point shots to take their first lead of the game, 10-9.
FROM DEEP, CANADA TAKES THE LEAD
Michelle Plouffe hits the three at the top of the lead, to give Canada their first lead of the game
🇨🇦 10 – 9 🇩🇪 | 3:53#Paris2024 #3x3WNT
— Canada Basketball (@CanBball) August 1, 2024
Unfortuantely, the run stopped there for Canada and momentum swung just as hard in the other direction.
Germany rattled off a 6-0 run before Michelle Plouffe stopped the bleeding with an easy look inside.
The lead increased to six with two minutes left, 17-11.
Over the last minute or so, Canada and Germany traded baskets until all hope for a comeback was lost. Crozon ended the game with a two-pointer to make the final score 19-15.
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Chandler Holt is a co-host of the Jazz Notes podcast, a Locals In The NFL Insider, and Digital Sports Producer for KSLSports.com. Follow Chandler on Twitter @CHoltSports or on Threads @chandlerho1t.
