Canada recovers from upset loss to top U.S. on opening day of women's 3x3 World Cup
Basketball team looking to upgrade on silver medal from 2022 tournament debut
It was a down-and-up day for Canada's women's 3x3 basketball team at the World Cup on Tuesday.
The reigning silver medallists and Women's Series Finals champions were stunned 20-18 in overtime by the Czech Republic before rebounding to beat rival U.S. 16-13 on Tuesday in Vienna, Austria.
The Czechs stayed tight with Canada throughout the game, even taking a two-point lead with under 30 seconds remaining that was eventually erased by a buzzer-beating layup from Canada's Michelle Plouffe.
In OT, in which the first team to two points wins, the Czechs' Kateřina Galíčková provided the dagger with her team's fifth make from beyond the arc. Canada, meanwhile, made just one of its 10 two-point attempts. In 3x3, made baskets are counted by ones and twos.
WATCH | Canada stunned by Czech Republic:
Against the U.S., Canada flirted with complete disaster, falling behind 7-1 in the early going. That's when Plouffe put the team on her back yet again, eventually tallying eight points and five rebounds in the victory.
Canada's team of Plouffe, her sister Katherine Plouffe, Paige Crozon and Kacie Bosch roared through the 2022 season. After starting with a second-place finish in their World Cup debut, the foursome did not lose a single game together for the remainder of the year.
The goals for this year, then, were simple: upgrade that World Cup silver to gold, and find a way to qualify for the 2024 Paris Olympics.
WATCH | Canada bounces back to beat U.S.:
The team was handed a boost on both fronts with the hiring of longtime national team player Kim Gaucher as head coach last week.
The top team from each of four pools advances directly to the quarterfinals, while the second- and third-place teams earn berths in a play-in round of a single-game knockout tournament which begins Saturday.
Medal games are slated for Sunday.
