When 3x3 Basketball gets its introduction in the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, Team Canada's and Humboldt native Paige Crozon hopes a continued strong performance at the FIBA 3x3 Women's Series will lead to a qualifier spot to the worlds biggest sporting stage.

Crozon just returned home from Bucharest, Romania following Team Canada's second straight first-place finish at the Women's Series. The team featured Crozon, Mariah Nunes, and sisters Michelle and Katerin Plouffe for the last two World Series stops. They currently sit in second place in the points standings with 410 points, trailing only Team France with 570.

"The European teams have been playing 3x3 for multiple years, and have been playing with the same teammates together. We threw our team together at the beginning of June before the first stop in Italy, and we've kind of found our chemistry and flow of the game that was really clicking at the last two stops," said Crozon.

The FIBA 3x3 Women Series runs through 15 different tour stops. The Canadian's first action was in Turin, Italy on June 14th and 15th resulting in a 4th place finish. From there, Team Canada finished 2nd in Poitiers, France, 3rd place in Lignano, Itlay, and then back to back 1st place finishes in Prague, Czech Republic, and most recently, Bucharest, Romania.

"FIBA organized this tournament for teams to get points coming up to the Olympics because it's gonna be the first year that 3 on 3 is debuted in the Olympics. So teams are entering this tournament to generate points. There will be a championship tournament in Edmonton at the end of September. France, Italy, Romania, Hungary, all the best teams from the tournament will be there for the Championship of the Women's Series."

Team Canada's current second-place standing in the Women's Series is extra-impressive considering the amount of practice time the team has had together.

"Our tournament for Prague started on a Friday, and we arrived on Thursday, so we only had about two practices before that tournament started.  We have been mostly working on our game individually, but we are talking daily, watching film, and connecting that way. I think it comes down to us outworking the other teams in the last two tournaments. They were fatigued and tired and we said, ok were not going to give in to our tiredness. We want to win the whole thing."

The top 20 teams will move on to Olympic Qualifiers. With two more stops for the Canadian team, both on home soil including Montreal on September 6th and 7th, and the Edmonton Championship at the end of September, Crozon knows that two more top finishes should all but guarantee one of those qualifier spots.

"We are sitting 24th in the world right now, so it's a reality, we're right on the bubble. Two more wins in the next two stops will be ideal and were gonna do our best to make that happen."

The next stop for Crozon and Team Canada will be on home soil in Montreal, the first chance she will get to represent her country at home.

"I'm very excited to be able to represent our country in Canada. There's so much honour and pride to be able to wear that jersey. We all know what it means when we put it on, and we try to do the best that we can to represent our country."

From Italy, France, Czech Republic, Romania, and back to Canada, the travel is immense for the women's squad, but it's something Crozon is soaking in while enjoying the experience of all the different cultures.

"It's just been an incredible whirlwind of a summer. We went all across Europe, and it's been an amazing experience. We've been immersed in all the cultures and met many amazing people, so it's been unbelievable, to say the least."

The journey continues on September 6th and 7th for the 12th Stop of the FIBA 3x3 Women's World Tour in Montreal.