Plouffe twins lead Canadian women past Australia to open Olympic 3x3 basketball tournament
Canada next faces China on Wednesday before playing Germany and France Thursday
Twin sisters Katherine and Michelle Plouffe combined for 18 points as Canada opened its run at the Olympic women's 3x3 basketball tournament with a 22-14 win over Australia.
Katherine Plouffe had a game-high 10 points and added three rebounds while Michelle Plouffe led Canada with five rebounds to go with eight points.
The Plouffes, from Edmonton, were joined on the floor by Paige Crozon of Humboldt, Sask., (four points, four rebounds) and Kacie Bosch of Lethbridge, Alta., (two rebounds).
Alex Wilson had six points and a game-high six rebounds for Australia.
Canada opened with a 15-2 run at the iconic Place de la Concorde.
"It is about defence," Michelle Plouffe said. "It was important for us to get stops and rebounds and just come out locked-in on defence and that was the game plan there. A lead like that is huge. It was testament to all the work we have done."
Canada shot 8-of-13 from the field and 4-for-11 from two-point range, while Australia struggled at 5-of-16 from the floor and 1-of-6 from two. In 3x3 basketball, a field goal from beyond the arc is worth two points, while a field goal from inside the arc is worth one point.
The win avenged a pair of losses to the Australians in May at an Olympic qualifying tournament in Japan, including a narrow defeat in the final. The Canadians went on to secure their Olympic spot at a last-chance qualifier later that month.
"We had a really strong game plan. We watched those games to make sure we were prepared," Crozon said. "They are such a strong team, and we knew we had to be prepared."
Canada next faces China on Wednesday.
WATCH l Full replay of Canada's win over Australia:
U.S. defeated by Germany
The defending champion U.S. women fell to Germany 17-13 on Tuesday in the opening game of pool play in 3x3 basketball.
Hailey Van Lith led the U.S. with six points. But she was struggling after the game, and she said she believes the heat exacerbated an illness she already was dealing with.
"I think I actually have a cold," she said. "I think it was from the rain in the opening ceremony. So, I think it's a combination of that, but I'll be fine. I played through it in the NCAA Tournament, so there's nothing that's going to take me out."
(Technically, standing in the rain and cold alone isn't what makes people sick. But being in those conditions for long periods of time can affect the immune system.)
Sonja Greinacher had five points and six rebounds to lead Germany and Marie Reichert added five points.
The U.S. raced out to a 5-0 lead, but Germany scored the next six points, with three from Elisa Mevius, to take the lead.
Van Lith made a layup before dishing to Dearica Hamby for another basket to cut Germany's advantage to 11-10 with about three minutes to go.
Greinacher made a 2-point shot for Germany before another basket by Van Lith got the U.S. within 1 again with about 90 seconds remaining.
This time, Germany scored the next four points, with two each from Greinacher and Reichert to pull away for the victory.
"It obviously gives us a lot of self-confidence going forward," Greinacher said.
Cierra Burdick was disappointed in the team's Olympic opener, but she said it isn't surprising that they still have work to do since they haven't been playing together that long. Hamby replaced Cameron Brink on the team this summer after Brink sustained a knee injury.
"I knew it wasn't going to be pretty," she said. "I didn't think it was going to be that ugly."
With files from CBC Sports and The Associated Press
