Losing their bronze-medal game left Katherine Plouffe and her teammates awash in emotion Monday night.

CanadaB次元官网网址檚 3x3 basketball team had come tantalizingly close to taking home a medal from the Paris Olympics, but ultimately saw their hopes dashed when they dropped a 16-13 decision to the United States.

B次元官网网址淟ots of emotions,B次元官网网址� Plouffe said. B次元官网网址淚t really sucks. Yeah, it really sucks. But very thankful, super grateful for this experience, to have made it here with all the support from our family and friends and the country and people whoB次元官网网址檝e been with us along our journey from 2019 until nowB次元官网网址�

After years with the Canadian womenB次元官网网址檚 basketball squad, Plouffe and her twin sister, Michelle Plouffe, decided five years ago to create a 3x3 program.

They funded their own training and travels, recruited their own teammates and found places to play.

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 been worth it,B次元官网网址� Katherine Plouffe said after MondayB次元官网网址檚 loss. B次元官网网址淚 would rather have my neck a little bit heavier right now, but the journey is worth it. And thereB次元官网网址檚 so many serendipities along the way that I would never trade. So IB次元官网网址檓 still positive on what we did, definitely.B次元官网网址�

Paris marks CanadaB次元官网网址檚 first Olympic appearance in 3x3 basketball. The discipline made its debut at the Tokyo Games.

Getting to Paris has been a special journey, Michelle Plouffe said.

B次元官网网址淥bviously a medal would have been a cherry on top, but IB次元官网网址檓 just so thankful for the relationship we have with each other and the support weB次元官网网址檝e had from our families and our friends and everyone back home whoB次元官网网址檚 just seen us start from the bottom B次元官网网址� really from below the bottom, from nothing B次元官网网址� to be at an Olympic Games,B次元官网网址� she said. B次元官网网址淎nd thatB次元官网网址檚 pretty special.B次元官网网址�

The Plouffe sisters started the 3x3 program in a bid to create more opportunities for women and girls to play basketball, and Michelle hopes their Olympic run has done just that.

B次元官网网址淚t was always about leaving something, leaving a legacy behind. And I think weB次元官网网址檝e made a big leap forward in doing that,B次元官网网址� she said. B次元官网网址淪o itB次元官网网址檚 been a huge journey, and IB次元官网网址檓 just so grateful.B次元官网网址�

Katherine Plouffe led Canada with five points in the bronze final, while Michelle Plouffe and Kacie Bosch each contributed three.

The Americans, who won gold when 3x3 basketball made its debut in Tokyo, got a game-high six points from Hailey van Lith.

Michelle Plouffe opened the scoring with a two-pointer and Bosch added another deep shot to give Canada a 7-3 lead less than three minutes into the game.

The Americans rallied, but Canada still held an 8-6 lead at the midway mark.

Dearica Hamby gave the U.S. a 14-13 lead on a free throw with 1:17 left to play and the Canadians couldnB次元官网网址檛 recover.

Still reeling from the loss, CanadaB次元官网网址檚 Paige Crozon went over to the stands to see her five-year-old daughter, Poppy.

B次元官网网址淚 went up to her after the game and gave her a sad look, and then she gave me a cheeky little smile. And it just provided some perspective,B次元官网网址� she said. B次元官网网址淚t helped me to zoom out and have perspective of whatB次元官网网址檚 really important.B次元官网网址�

The loss to the Americans marked CanadaB次元官网网址檚 10th game in seven days. Games were played at an outdoor, temporary venue on ParisB次元官网网址� Palace de la Concorde, and temperatures often reached the high 20s.

B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檝e said that from the beginning, that this is a beast of a tournament,B次元官网网址� Katherine Plouffe said. B次元官网网址淎nd yeah, fatigue was there. Yeah, other things played a role, and we could have done some things better, but, you know, itB次元官网网址檚 in the past now. The Olympics are done.B次元官网网址�

Earlier on Monday, Canada dropped a 16-15 decision to Germany in a spirited semifinal that saw the winning basket scored with a single second left on the clock.

Germany went on to beat Spain 17-16 in the gold-medal game Monday night.

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 so bittersweet because we were expecting the medal for ourselves. So to leave empty-handed, as far as medals is concerned is very tough,B次元官网网址� Bosch said.

B次元官网网址�(But) to place fourth in our first-ever Olympic appearance is something to definitely be proud of. Are we satisfied? No. I donB次元官网网址檛 know anybody in the world of sports who would be satisfied with a fourth-place finish. But weB次元官网网址檙e gonna learn from it. WeB次元官网网址檙e gonna grow from it and move on.B次元官网网址�

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Gemma Karstens-Smith, The Canadian Press