Pan Ams’ golden twins aim for next slam dunk
Plouffes key to Canada’s hopes at FIBA Americas tourney
EDMONTON — Katherine and Michelle Plouffe shot a little hoops in a city square on Wednesday to help drum up interest in the FIBA Ameri cas Women’s Basketball Championship. It shouldn’t be difficult. What’s not to like about Canada’s national women’s basketball team, which will be gunning for a 2016 Olympic berth next month in Edmonton?
The Plouffe sisters, who are from the Alberta capital, will be key components of Team Canada’s mission to win the 10-team, 24-game tournament Aug. 9-16.
It will be the second “once-ina-lifetime” home-court experience of the summer for the 22-year-old Plouffe twins, who helped Canada win gold in dramatic fashion at the Pan Am Games in Toronto last week.
As thrilling as that experience was for the players and a Canadian general public just now twigging to the possibilities of the national women’s team, the FIBA Americas tournament is by far the more important event, with all due respect to the Pan Am Games.
That is not to diminish the emotional moment the sisters shared after Canada defeated the United States 81-73 in the gold-medal game.
It wasn’t just a sisterly hug, but a twin sisterly embrace — the culmination, up to now, of two lifetimes in basketball.
“It was just excitement, happiness, joy that what we worked for has come to fruition in that game,” Michelle said. “To be able to share it with my sister is a super cool feeling. We haven’t played together very often, so summers is our chance to do so.”
Toronto was the second Games experience for Michelle, who played for Canada at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London. Katherine did not earn a spot on that team, although she was there to support her sister as a spectator.
As fraught with emotion as that Pan Am Games moment was, both sisters left no doubt the upcoming competition is far and away the central focus of this special basketball summer.
“I definitely think so because it’s an Olympic berth on the line,” Michelle said.
“The Pan Am Games tournament was a highly useful tuneup for the upcoming Olympic qualifier, and the script has played out to perfection for Canada, so far.
“We definitely have gained a lot of momentum, I think,” said Michelle. “We know we have a lot of stuff to work on. Teams are going to be stronger, coming into FIBA. They get a few players back (from their pro teams in the WNBA).
“We know that we have to step up our game up, too. We definitely haven’t peaked this summer yet, so that’s what we hope to do here in August.”
Having piqued national interest with their Pan Am Games performance, the women’s team is in a position to leverage that, first by earning an Olympic berth, then by following up with what they hope will be a solid tournament in Rio Olympics.
The players are acutely aware of the boosts in sponsorship, funding and profile the national women’s soccer team enjoyed through its international success.
Might the women’s basketball team be able to generate similar interest?
“I hope so,” Michelle said. “I think that is definitely possible, especially with the team we have and the momentum we have.
“To be able to be in Canada for two major events this summer is huge and I hope our country gets behind us the way they have got behind the women’s soccer team, because that’s super cool to watch.”