Basketball competition in Paris features eight Albertans
From five-on-five to 3x3 to wheelchair competition, an incredible total of eight Albertans will be involved in basketball at the Paris 2024 Olympics and Paralympic Games.
The Summer Olympics take place from July 26 to Aug. 11, while the Summer Paralympics run from Aug. 28 to Sept. 8.
Meet the seven athletes and one official from our province that will be part of the basketball events in France:
YVONNE EJIM (Calgary)
Canadian women’s basketball team
Competition schedule: click here
Biography (from COC):
Ejim was with the Canadian team that qualified for Paris 2024 at the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament in Hungary. That was her second major international tournament with the senior national team after she contributed to a bronze medal at the 2023 FIBA Women’s AmeriCup. She had first played with the senior national team in a pair of exhibition games in New York City in 2022.
As a junior, Ejim competed at the FIBA U19 Women’s World Cup in 2019 and 2021. In her second appearance at the tournament, she was Canada’s number two in scoring and was named a Second Team All-Star. In 2017, Ejim competed with the cadet national team at the FIBA U17 Women’s World Cup. The year prior she won silver with Canada at the 2017 FIBA U16 Americas Championship.
Ejim played collegiate basketball for Gonzaga University. In her senior year in 2023-24, she was named the Becky Hammon Mid-Major Player of the Year in the NCAA and WCC Player of the Year as she led the team and conference in scoring.
KACIE BOSCH (Lethbridge)
Canadian women’s 3x3 team
Competition schedule: click here
Biography (from COC):
Since starting her 3×3 career in 2021, Bosch has been a key contributor to Canada’s international success. Among the major highlights are back-to-back FIBA 3×3 Women’s Series titles in 2022 and 2023, a silver medal at the 2022 FIBA 3×3 World Cup, and qualifying Canada for Paris 2024.
Bosch debuted with the 3×3 national team at the 2021 FIBA 3×3 AmeriCup, helping win a bronze medal. She was part of a gold medal triumph at the 2022 AmeriCup, followed by another bronze medal at the 2023 tournament.
In 2022, Bosch helped the Canadian women’s team to the silver medal in their first ever appearance at the FIBA 3×3 World Cup. That was followed by a most memorable summer. In July 2022, Bosch debuted on the FIBA 3×3 Women’s Series in front of family and friends in Edmonton, helping Canada win the tournament. She was part of series victories in Bucharest and Montreal before they claimed the overall title at the FIBA 3×3 Women’s Series Final in Constanta, Romania.
In 2023, Bosch was part of four more wins on the FIBA 3×3 Women’s Series, including stops at home in Edmonton and Montreal, before the Canadian team claimed their second straight Series Final crown in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia.
Bosch helped Canada earn its first ever Olympic berth in 3×3 basketball as the team finished third at the FIBA 3×3 Olympic Qualifying Tournament in Hungary in mid-May 2024.
Bosch began her collegiate career at Gonzaga University, helping the Bulldogs reach the NCAA Sweet Sixteen as a freshman in 2015. She moved back home to the University of Lethbridge for the 2016-17 season, spending four years with the Pronghorns. In 2023, she served as an assistant coach for the Pronghorns alongside national team teammate Paige Crozon.
KATHERINE PLOUFFE (Edmonton)
Canadian women’s 3x3 team
Competition schedule: click here
Biography (from COC):
Since switching her focus to 3×3 basketball in 2019, Plouffe has consistently been among the world’s top players as Canada achieved many highlights, including back-to-back FIBA 3×3 Women’s Series titles in 2022 and 2023, a silver medal at the 2022 FIBA 3×3 World Cup, and qualifying Canada for Paris 2024.
Plouffe made her Olympic debut at Rio 2016 as a member of Canada’s five-on-five basketball team, where she played alongside her twin sister Michelle, now a teammate on the 3×3 national team. They had both been members of Canada’s gold medal-winning teams at the Toronto 2015 Pan American Games and the 2015 FIBA Americas Championship. The Plouffe sisters also competed at the 2014 FIBA World Cup where Canada’s fifth-place finish was the country’s best result since 1986. In her first season on the FIBA 3×3 Women’s Series in 2019, Plouffe helped Canada win four tournaments, including the final stop in her hometown of Edmonton.
Plouffe and the 3×3 team had a particularly memorable year in 2022. They won silver in the first ever appearance for a Canadian women’s team at the FIBA 3×3 World Cup. She was with them for four victories on the FIBA 3×3 Women’s Series, including the Series Final in Constanta, Romania. They then won gold at the 2022 FIBA 3×3 AmeriCup
In 2023, Plouffe helped Canada to five wins on the FIBA 3×3 Women’s Series, including Canadian stops in Edmonton, Quebec City, and Montreal, before they claimed their second straight Series Final crown in UIaanbaatar, Mongolia.
To start the 2024 season, Plouffe was named MVP of the FIBA 3×3 Women’s Series opener in Springfield, Massachusetts. She then earned MVP honours at the FIBA 3×3 Olympic Qualifying Tournament in Hungary where Canada finished third to earn its first ever Olympic berth in 3×3 basketball.
Plouffe played four seasons at Marquette University, leaving as the school’s ninth all-time scorer (1551 points) and fourth-leading rebounder (973). In her senior year, she averaged a double-double (17.1 points and 10.2 rebounds) and was named Big East Scholar Athlete of the Year.
MICHELLE PLOUFFE (Edmonton)
Canadian women’s 3x3 team
Competition schedule: click here
Biography (from COC):
Since switching her focus to 3×3 basketball in 2019, Plouffe has consistently been among the world’s top players as Canada achieved many highlights, including back-to-back FIBA 3×3 Women’s Series titles in 2022 and 2023, a silver medal at the 2022 FIBA 3×3 World Cup, and qualifying Canada for Paris 2024.
Plouffe made her Olympic debut at London 2012 as a member of Canada’s five-on-five basketball team. In her second Olympic appearance at Rio 2016, she played alongside her twin sister Katherine, now a teammate on the 3×3 national team. They had both been members of Canada’s gold medal-winning teams at the Toronto 2015 Pan American Games and the 2015 FIBA Americas Championship. The Plouffe sisters also competed at the 2014 FIBA World Cup where Canada’s fifth-place finish was the country’s best result since 1986.
In her first season on the FIBA 3×3 Women’s Series in 2019, Plouffe helped Canada win four tournaments, including the final stop in her hometown of Edmonton.
Plouffe and the 3×3 team had a particularly memorable year in 2022. They won silver in the first ever appearance for a Canadian women’s team at the FIBA 3×3 World Cup. She was with them for four victories on the FIBA 3×3 Women’s Series, including the Series Final in Constanta, Romania where Plouffe was named MVP after dominating almost ever statistical category. They then won gold at the 2022 FIBA 3×3 AmeriCup.
In 2023, Plouffe helped Canada to five wins on the FIBA 3×3 Women’s Series, including Canadian stops in Edmonton, Quebec City, and Montreal, before they claimed their second straight Series Final crown in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. Though sidelined with an injury in the final game, Plouffe was again the MVP of the Series Final.
Plouffe was second only to her sister in points scored at the 2024 FIBA 3×3 Olympic Qualifying Tournament in Hungary where Canada finished third to earn its first ever Olympic berth in 3×3 basketball.
At the University of Utah, Plouffe was a three-time All-Pac 12 selection and a Pac-12 All-Defensive Team selection in her senior year. As a freshman she was named the Mountain West Conference Freshman of the Year. Plouffe finished her collegiate career with 2100 points and a school record 1155 rebounds.
Selected in the second round (19th overall) of the 2014 WNBA Draft by the Seattle Storm, Plouffe instead went overseas to play in France.
MATT KALLIO (Edmonton)
men’s and women’s basketball official
Competition schedule: click here
Biography (from National Basketball Referees Association):
Matt Kallio is in his second season as an NBA staff official. In 2022-23, he officiated 31 regular-season games in his first season on staff. He refereed 10 regular-season games as a non-staff official during the 2021-22 NBA season.
Kallio officiated seven seasons in the NBA G League and four seasons in the WNBA. He has worked as a FIBA official since 2012, including assignments at the 2019 FIBA Basketball World Cup in China and the 2020 Sum- mer Olympics in Tokyo (which were held in 2021).
At NBA All-Star 2022 in Cleveland, he refereed the NBA G League Next Gem Game and the NBA All-Star Celebrity Game with fellow first-year NBA staff official Robert Hussey.
Kalio has extensive collegiate officiating experience in his native Canada. He worked for 12 years in the Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) and 11 years for U Sports, the national sport governing body of university sport in Canada.
REED DE’EATH (Sherwood Park)
Canadian men’s wheelchair basketball team
Competition schedule: click here
Biography (from Wheelchair Basketball Canada):
De’Aeth was first introduced to wheelchair basketball seven years ago at a para-athlete search in Calgary. In addition to wheelchair basketball, the Sherwood Park, Alta. native also tried sledge hockey and para nordic skiing before sticking with basketball.
De’Aeth was born without a fibula, and his parents decided to amputate his left foot at the early age of four.
On the court, De’Aeth helped Alberta win gold at the 2019 Canada Games in Red Deer and was named Wheelchair Basketball Canada’s Junior Athlete of the Year in 2020.
In 2022, De’Aeth was named to Team Canada’s Under-23 roster for the Americas Championship in March.
De’Aeth’s first made the Senior Men’s National Team roster in July and represented Team Canada at the IWBF Americas Cup in São Paulo, Brazil helping the men’s side win bronze and qualify for the IWBF World Championships.
In September, he then represented Canada at the U-23 Worlds in Phuket, Thailand.
CHAD JASSMAN (Medicine Hat)
Canadian men’s wheelchair basketball team
Competition schedule: click here
Biography (from Wheelchair Basketball Canada):
Jassman grew up with a love for sports. That passion led him to join wheelchair basketball after he broke his back in a car accident in 2004.
After a year and a half of developing his skills and competing for the Calgary Grizzlies, his local club team, Jassman decided to try out for Team Canada. He missed the cut two years in a row, but with hard work and perseverance he ultimately earned a roster spot on the National Team in 2009.
Jassman enjoys the crashing and banging of the chairs in wheelchair basketball and draws on his experience as a former competitive hockey player when strategizing on the court. He also cites the game’s inclusive nature as one of its greatest attributes and hopes to one-day see both able-bodied athletes and those with disabilities competing together at the international level.
Jassman takes pride in representing his country and having the opportunity to learn from some of the greatest players in the game. In 2011, he signed a semi-professional basketball contract with the Trier Dolphins in Germany to further develop his game.
Off the basketball court, he enjoys everything athletic and has recently started to ski and play tennis. He studied aviation in college and successfully earned his commercial pilot license, and he continues to fly planes and gliders recreationally in his spare time.
ARINN YOUNG (St. Albert)
Canadian women’s wheelchair basketball team
Competition schedule: click here
Biography (from Wheelchair Basketball Canada):
Young has always been passionate about basketball. When knee injuries prevented her from playing stand up basketball in 2011, family friend and wheelchair basketball coach Max MacMillan pushed Young to give wheelchair basketball a try.
A strong player in stand up ball, where she won over 15 MVP awards and two city championships, Young immediately fell in love with the wheelchair sport, describing it as more positive than the stand up game.
At home under the basket, she helped lead her club team, the Edmonton Inferno, to a Canadian women’s championship in 2018. Young loves the aggression of the game, which she says pumps her up.
As a player on the Senior Women’s National Team, Young says the opportunity to wear the Team Canada jersey means the world to her.
“To put on a jersey that represents your country inspires me to become a great player. It is truly a dream of mine to represent Canada,” Young says.
