3x3 Women's Series in Montreal - Pool Stage Recap

Some of the year's most high-flying 3x3 Women's teams were on show once again in the Montreal, this last stop on the tour before the Bucharest final in October.

This would be the third and final Canadian tournament in the 2022 Women's Series, Canada had seen success in Edmonton while missing out more recently in Quebec City, where first place went to the USA, winners of the last two stops on the women's tour. This would be the last chance for the twelve taking part to pick up points and hopefully a place in the upcoming final, including the two home teams.

Familiar 3x3 faces Kacie Bosch, Paige Crozon along with Michelle and Katherine Plouffe made up team Canada. At the same time Pool D welcomed Toronto to the fray. Suiting up for this team in their 3x3 Women's Series debut are Iowa Hawkeye alum and Canadian international Christina Buttenham, recent McMaster Marauders All-Canadian Sarah Gates plus veterans Micaella Riche and Brey Dorsett-Johnson (wife of NBL Canda and 3x3 star Alex Johnson) making up the second Canadian unit in Montreal.

Scoring came slowly in the opener between Canada and Hungary, but the first five points were the home team's. Hungary started to claw back from beyond the arc but were matched by Crozon for Canada, who were also making their height advantage count in the low post. Crozon and Katherine Plouffe continued to make good from all distances, doubling the Canadian advantage and with Hungary only able to steal solitary points, Canada opened in Montreal with a winning start, 19-11.

After even start to their second game against the Netherlands, the Dutch flatlined midway through and Canada made the most of the opportunity. Scoring seven in a row, the hosts secured their quarter final spot with a 16-8 blowout of the Dutch. The face-off to join them between Hungary and the Netherlands was another tight clash, but the Hungarians' greater success from close range, led by Klaudia Papp, along with Petra Farkas the top defensive player they saw off the Netherlands by two points and extended their run in Montreal to Saturday.

In the first game of Pool D, Toronto were the first to score but Lithuania responded with a 4-0 run, then hit two from outside and led 10-4. Toronto found themselves overwhelmed and denied by Lithuania's physicality and aggression in the low post. Riche ended the Toronto cold streak and the team put up five points in a minute, but could not stop Lithuania edging closer and closer to the finish line, the final score 21-13 against them.

Lithuania were less dominant in their second game against the USA, whose early domination close-up lifted them to a 12-3 lead, which soon became double digits. Lithuania hit three twos in thirty seconds, reducing their arrears but ultimately not enough to snatch the win away from the Americans.

This meant Toronto needed a win over the Americans, who had amassed a 7-1 lead after three minutes. Sarah Gates led Toronto in picking up points in the paint, but their chances were limited by the USA and unable to force the issue in the final stretch, the Americans' 16-10 lead would be the final score.

Elsewhere Latvia kept it close in their opener against Spain, who were able to maintain their lead in the low post, but as time expired the lead kept changing hands and the one-point Spanish lead was levelled in the last minute. Overtime was required, where Sandra Ygueravide immediately brought the game to a close with a game-winning two for Spain.

Dusseldorf had an early narrow lead over Spain in Pool C's second game but the Spanish went in front after five points unanswered. Ygueravide then hit seven in a row, ending the game with Spain winners 22-12 and cementing their place on day two. Latvia and Dusseldorf were left to decide who would join Spain on the second day, an early barrage of points from the German team saw them lead the Latvians by seven midway through. Latvia offered little in response and were eliminated as a result.

In Pool C France's outside success saw an even score line turn to them doubling their lead over Exewing. The team from Japan closed the gap from beyond the arc and tied it up after six minutes, but France responded with six unanswered points and prevented Exewing adding any more to their score.

France were the winners here by four but were in for a big shock when they then faced a fellow French team. The Under-24s led 8-2 after four minutes, with the younger outfit building an eleven-point lead. France tried to slow the game down but the Under-24s stayed the course and kept converting their chances, sealing victory 21 points to 9.

A win for either France Under-24 or Exewing in the final pool game would see either through. The French team's early four-point lead was quickly cut down to one by Exewing's scoring in the paint, the Under-24s tried to Natalie Kucowski then put the Japanese team in front. A two-pointer from Emma Peytour and two from the line Coline Franchelin in the last seconds turned the game around: France U24 were the winners and Exewing faced an early exit from Montreal.

At the end of the pool stage, unbeaten Canada march on with a match-up with France next up for them in the knockout stage. A win here will see them face either Dusseldorf or the USA in the semi-finals. At the same time Spain and Lithuania will play for a semi final spot, as will France U24 and Hungary.

With high level basketball on show on day one, expect for a highly contested knockout stage as any of the eight remaining teams are contenders for the title and all want to get their hands on it. Check back here for full coverage of finals day in Montreal as well as the official FIBA 3x3 website, accessible by this link.