Team Canada won the gold medal on Sunday in the women’s 3×3 basketball World Series event in Takasaki, Japan. In the gold medal game, Canada trounced Japan 20-10.
Paige Crozon of Humboldt, Saskatchewan was Canada’s top player in the gold medal game. She led Canada with seven points and six rebounds.
Team Canada went undefeated throughout the tournament. They won Pool A with a perfect record of two wins and zero losses. They defeated the Netherlands U25 team 22-13, and China’s Yanjing 21-15. In Canada’s win over the Netherlands U25 team, Merissah Russell of Ottawa, Ontario led Canada with nine points, and in Canada’s win over China’s Yanjing, Katherine Plouffe of Edmonton, Alberta led Canada with eight points.
Canada’s quarterfinal win came over China by a score of 21-9. Crozon led Canada with 11 points. Canada’s semifinal win came over Azerbaijan by a score of 22-12. Russell led Canada with eight points.
Canada finished in 10th place in the Women’s 3×3 Basketball World Series overall standings in 2026 with 490 points. Due to the fact they finished outside the top eight, Canada did not qualify for the final in Shanghai, China.
This was Canada’s fourth podium of the season. They won gold in Shanghai, and silver in two World Series events in France (Poitiers and Marseille). The gold medal in Takasaki will give Canada confidence as they prepare for the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.
