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

Canada含羞草研究社檚 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.

含羞草研究社淟ots of emotions,含羞草研究社� Plouffe said. 含羞草研究社淚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 who含羞草研究社檝e been with us along our journey from 2019 until now含羞草研究社�

After years with the Canadian women含羞草研究社檚 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.

含羞草研究社淚t含羞草研究社檚 been worth it,含羞草研究社� Katherine Plouffe said after Monday含羞草研究社檚 loss. 含羞草研究社淚 would rather have my neck a little bit heavier right now, but the journey is worth it. And there含羞草研究社檚 so many serendipities along the way that I would never trade. So I含羞草研究社檓 still positive on what we did, definitely.含羞草研究社�

Paris marks Canada含羞草研究社檚 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.

含羞草研究社淥bviously a medal would have been a cherry on top, but I含羞草研究社檓 just so thankful for the relationship we have with each other and the support we含羞草研究社檝e had from our families and our friends and everyone back home who含羞草研究社檚 just seen us start from the bottom 含羞草研究社� really from below the bottom, from nothing 含羞草研究社� to be at an Olympic Games,含羞草研究社� she said. 含羞草研究社淎nd that含羞草研究社檚 pretty special.含羞草研究社�

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.

含羞草研究社淚t was always about leaving something, leaving a legacy behind. And I think we含羞草研究社檝e made a big leap forward in doing that,含羞草研究社� she said. 含羞草研究社淪o it含羞草研究社檚 been a huge journey, and I含羞草研究社檓 just so grateful.含羞草研究社�

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 couldn含羞草研究社檛 recover.

Still reeling from the loss, Canada含羞草研究社檚 Paige Crozon went over to the stands to see her five-year-old daughter, Poppy.

含羞草研究社淚 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,含羞草研究社� she said. 含羞草研究社淚t helped me to zoom out and have perspective of what含羞草研究社檚 really important.含羞草研究社�

The loss to the Americans marked Canada含羞草研究社檚 10th game in seven days. Games were played at an outdoor, temporary venue on Paris含羞草研究社� Palace de la Concorde, and temperatures often reached the high 20s.

含羞草研究社淲e含羞草研究社檝e said that from the beginning, that this is a beast of a tournament,含羞草研究社� Katherine Plouffe said. 含羞草研究社淎nd yeah, fatigue was there. Yeah, other things played a role, and we could have done some things better, but, you know, it含羞草研究社檚 in the past now. The Olympics are done.含羞草研究社�

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.

含羞草研究社淚t含羞草研究社檚 so bittersweet because we were expecting the medal for ourselves. So to leave empty-handed, as far as medals is concerned is very tough,含羞草研究社� Bosch said.

含羞草研究社�(But) to place fourth in our first-ever Olympic appearance is something to definitely be proud of. Are we satisfied? No. I don含羞草研究社檛 know anybody in the world of sports who would be satisfied with a fourth-place finish. But we含羞草研究社檙e gonna learn from it. We含羞草研究社檙e gonna grow from it and move on.含羞草研究社�

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Gemma Karstens-Smith, The Canadian Press