Former Utes, Team Canada Fight Off Azerbaijan Comeback For Big Win
Aug 3, 2024, 10:11 AM
PARIS, FRANCE - AUGUST 01: Paige Crozon #7 and Michelle Plouffe #1 of Team Canada react during a Women's 3x3 basketball pool round game between France and Canada on day six of the Olympic Games Paris 2024 at Esplanade Des Invalides on August 01, 2024 in Paris, France. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)
(Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)
PARIS – Canada’s 3×3 Women’s Basketball team was nearly stunned by Azerbaijan but came up big down the stretch to win, 21-19.
Two of Canada’s three starters, Michelle Plouffe and Paige Crozon, and head coach Kim Gaucher played college basketball at the University of Utah.
Canada’s former Utes came up big in the final pool play game. They combined for 13 points with some of the baskets being very timely.
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😤 AN ABSOLUTE BATTLE! 🔥
🇨🇦 Canada get a PIVOTAL win over Azerbaijan and are headed to the Play-in! 🤩#3x3Basketball #Paris2024 pic.twitter.com/4Um6Trd6YW
— 3×3 Basketball |FIBA3x3 (@FIBA3x3) August 3, 2024
Team Canada
It was all offense early between Team Canada and Azerbaijan.
Azerbaijan’s Tiffany Hayes started the game with a quick layup and Plouffe responded with a two-pointer for Canada’s first lead.
Hayes came back and took it to the cup again and made the shot with a foul. She knocked down the free throw to make it 3-2.
Team Canada tied it at 3-3 and then the Ute connection, Crozon to Plouffe, gave them the lead once again.
However, they had no answer for Hayes. She drove to the rim once again and got the easy layup to go.
Crozon knocked down a mid-range jump shot and then dished out another assist. It appeared that Canada figured out the Azerbaijan game plan early on.
However, two-point shooting kept them in it. Hayes drilled one from deep to make it six points in less than two minutes. That shot started a 4-1 run for Azerbaijan.
with Michelle Plouffe’s bucket, Canada has officially punched their ticket to the play-in round which is set for later today
🇨🇦 8 🇦🇿 9 | 6:53
LIVE on @cbcgem // EN DIRECT sur @cbcgem 📺#Paris2024 #3x3WNT pic.twitter.com/wXRyXiZ8Dk— Canada Basketball (@CanBball) August 3, 2024
Canada answered with a 4-0 run to regain the lead, 11-9.
After a few minutes of back and forth, Azerbaijan drained a two-point shot to take a 13-12 lead.
Crozon responded with one of her own to put Canada back on top and there was no looking back from there.
PAIGE CROZON FROM DEEP
she gives Canada the lead with the make from long-range
🇨🇦 14 🇦🇿 13 | 4:04
LIVE on @cbcgem // EN DIRECT sur @cbcgem 📺#Paris2024 #3x3WNT— Canada Basketball (@CanBball) August 3, 2024
At least that’s what Canada thought.
A logo three from Plouffe with 90 seconds left gave them a 19-16 lead.
A questionable foul put Hayes on the free-throw line and dropped the lead to two. Azerbaijan played tough defense and got two easy looks on their next two possessions to tie the game with less than a minute left.
The Plouffe sisters each got a layup to go down the stretch to walk away with a hard-fought two-point win, 21-19.
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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 sports.ksl.com. Follow Chandler on Twitter @CHoltSports or on Threads @chandlerho1t.
