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PARIS – Tears rolled down Kacie Bosch’s cheeks as she spoke Saturday about the prospect of playing for an Olympic medal.
Bosch and her teammates had just secured a spot in the women’s 3×3 basketball semifinals, a feat never assured for a Canadian team making its first Olympic appearance.
“It’s been a journey of ups and downs for us, even in (qualifiers). We had some games where we thought we could have played better and should have played better,” said the guard from Lethbridge, Alta.
“And then here, all the games are tough. We’ve lost some in OT, we’ve had some really tough close ones. But our team never gives up on each other. So it’s just great to go on this journey with them.”
The journey was not linear.
Edmonton’s Michelle and Katherine Plouffe initiated the idea of a 3×3 program in 2019, after years with the women’s national team.
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To get it off the ground, the twin sisters had to fund their own training and travel, convince players to join them, and travel the world for the right playing opportunities.
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Now the Plouffes are the leaders of the Canadian team that achieved a 4-3 score in the preliminary round in Paris.
“They’re the kind of players that when the game is on the line, they get excited and they get comfortable,” said Paige Crozon, a forward from Humboldt, Sask. “So just having that on our team is a huge advantage in every way.”
The Plouffes have previously stood on the Olympic podium, playing for Team Canada that finished seventh at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio. Michelle also played at the London Games in 2012.
That experience and the twins’ personalities have been a boon to the 3×3 crew, Crozon said.
“They’re so optimistic, they’re so down to earth. They’re so humble and yet so confident, which I find so admirable and inspiring,” she said. “They’re incredible basketball players, but they’re even better people and I think anyone around (3×3 basketball) can attest to that.”
The sisters’ leadership is paying off in Paris.
Canada opened the Olympic tournament 3-1, but suffered two overtime losses to the United States and Spain on Friday.
The team bounced back with a win over Azerbaijan to close out Saturday’s group stage, then convincingly defeated Australia 21-10 in a play-in match to secure a spot in Monday’s semi-finals.
“This was a testament to the team we can play with as a team. Just a huge confidence boost going into the next round,” Michelle said after the win. “And now we get to play for a medal, which is really great.”
Canada is scheduled to face Germany in the semifinals on Monday. The other semifinal will feature Spain and the U.S.
The Germans went 6-1 in the preliminary round to finish first in the eight-team group, a performance that took them straight to the semi-finals.
Canada and Germany have played each other before in the tournament, with the Germans winning 19-15 in the group stage on Thursday.
The Canadians are looking for revenge.
“This journey has a lot of things in it, but easy wasn’t one of them,” Michelle Plouffe said. “So (playing for a medal) means a lot.”
This report by The Canadian Press was first published August 4, 2024.
© 2024 The Canadian Press
