The Canadian Women’s 3x3 team fell to France 14-13 in the FIBA 3x3 World Cup quarter-final in Vienna on Saturday.

In a rematch of last year’s 3x3 World Cup finals match up, neither team led by more than two points, with a driving layup from Marie-Eve Paget giving France the hard-fought victory with two seconds remaining on the clock.

Katherine Plouffe led all scorers with eight points, five rebounds and five highlights in the loss, while Michelle Plouffe added three points, four rebounds and four highlights. France was led by six points from Laeticia Guapo and five points from Paget. 

The game was tightly contested from the jump, with K. Plouffe scoring the first two baskets of the game to give Canada an early 2-0 lead. After a score from Paget and a two-point shot from Guapo gave France a brief 3-2 lead, Paige Crozon quickly tied the game at three points apiece with 8:23 minutes remaining. From there, the two teams traded one-point leads and ties until a drive from K. Plouffe and then a gorgeous turnaround fadeaway from M. Plouffe extended Canada’s lead back to two points with 2:06 minutes remaining.

France responded with buckets from Paget and Hortense Limouzin to tie things back up at 12 points until a drive from Bosch again put Canada in front by a point, 13-12. After the teams traded turnovers, Guapo scored to tie things up, once again, at 13 with 42 seconds remaining. After a steal from Bosch ended with France taking back possession, Paget scored on a drive to the basket with two seconds remaining to give France a one-point victory to advance to the semifinals.

Canada shot 12-for-25 from inside the arc, but were scoreless from deep while France made just 6-of-13 shots inside the arc, but connected on 3-of-10 attempts from two-point range. 

Through Day 5 action, M. Plouffe led all players with 20 highlights and 15 key assists, while K. Plouffe was second in two-point shots scored (23) and key assists (10). K. Plouffe led all rebounders with 29 total rebounds and M. Plouffe was second with 26 rebounds. Kacie Bosch was second in blocked shots with five.