Serbia ends Canada's hopes of reaching the Volleyball Nations League quarterfinals
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CTV News
39 minutes ago
- CTV News
NBA Champion Lu Dort embraces his Montreal North roots
"The Dorture Chamber" Luguentz Dort says he's proud to represent Montreal North with the Oklahoma City Thunder in the NBA. (Daniel J. Rowe/CTV News) 'Toughness, competitors, hungry.' They are the three words Luguentz 'Lu' Dort used to describe Montreal North basketball and how multiple players from the borough between highways 25 and 19, on the shores of the Riviere-des-Prairies, have made it to the heights of basketball in the NBA. 'That's just the way we grew up,' said the Oklahoma City Thunder guard and NBA All-Defensive First Team winner. 'Obviously, our parents immigrated from different countries. We are so blessed to grow up in a country like this and every time we go somewhere we're always happy to represent.' Dort joined fellow Montreal Norther Chris Boucher as an NBA Champion this year. Boucher won with the Toronto Raptors in 2019. Dort went face-to-face in the finals with childhood friend from the neighbourhood, Benedict Mathurin, of the Indiana Pacers. 'It means a lot,' said Dort, of winning the title. 'Wherever I go, I always represent Montreal North and I'm doing a lot for my community. They've been supporting me throughout this whole ride, especially throughout the playoff run and it'll be great to bring it [the trophy] back here.' Dort, at six feet four inches tall and weighing 220 pounds, always punches above his weight. In round two of the NBA playoffs, he regularly guarded six foot 11 inches tall and three-time NBA MVP Nikola Jokic. 'I don't really look at the size,' said the man with the nickname 'The Dorture Chamber.' 'I feel like I belong on the court with anyone and whenever I see a guy taller than me, I know it'll be a challenge.' Lu Dort Luguentz Dort speaks about growing up in Montreal North and representing the borough in the NBA with the Oklahoma City Thunder. (Daniel J. Rowe/CTV News) Kevin Mondésir trains Dort. He said Dort's mental toughness equals his physical strength. 'It's his mindset; the way he approaches things and the way he sees things also. He wants that challenge,' said Mondésir. Montreal continues to produce players who have made it to the NBA. Jahmyl Telfort's rights were acquired by the LA Clippers this year, and Olivier-Maxence Prosper was drafted by the Dallas Mavericks in 2023. Dort echoed other voices, saying that Montreal has the talent and the audience to have an NBA team in the future. 'There's a lot of people here in Montreal who love basketball,' said Dort. 'And then, you know, talent. I mean, we have so many kids from Montreal that play in high school now, and that play in college, and a lot of them are in NBA as well. I really think it's possible. Obviously, I'll be involved in that one day.'
The Province
an hour ago
- The Province
Anxious travellers can now 'pony up' at Vancouver airport
Therapy dogs have been a part of passenger support at YVR for a few years. Now they have a couple of equine pals helping out Identical twins Pamela and Jacqueline Green of Green Acres Therapy Horses with Tinkerbell the pony inside YVR in Richmond on Tuesday. At right are Maya Mulherin and Dascha Nykoluk with Magic the pony. Photo by Arlen Redekop / PNG If you've ever seen the look on kids' faces when they pet a pony at a country fair, you know the adorable equines are all about good vibrations. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Exclusive articles by top sports columnists Patrick Johnston, Ben Kuzma, J.J. Abrams and others. Plus, Canucks Report, Sports and Headline News newsletters and events. Unlimited online access to The Province and 15 news sites with one account. The Province ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on. Daily puzzles and comics, including the New York Times Crossword. Support local journalism. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Exclusive articles by top sports columnists Patrick Johnston, Ben Kuzma, J.J. Abrams and others. Plus, Canucks Report, Sports and Headline News newsletters and events. Unlimited online access to The Province and 15 news sites with one account. The Province ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on. Daily puzzles and comics, including the New York Times Crossword. Support local journalism. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors That's the idea behind Vancouver International Airport's expansion of its therapy dog program for anxious travellers. On Tuesday, YVR introduced ponies Magic and Tinkerbell at a media event. The two therapy ponies are being added on a trial basis to the Less Airport Stress Initiative (LASI), a therapy animal program that itself started as a trial a few years back. The ambassador dogs have given thousands of hours of stress relief to passengers heading through the busy airport in Richmond ever since. 'YVR is the first airport in Canada — and one of the first in North America — to introduce ponies into the terminal and trial this unique approach to passenger care,' says an airport spokesperson. Ponies are 'known for their calming presence,' so Magic and Tinkerbell and their handlers will be at the airport all summer to provide emotional support to travellers. They'll wander through the terminals, interacting with travellers and adding a little pony peace to their experience. The ponies are owned and managed by local group Green Acres, while the canines are from the therapy dog program at St. John's Ambulance. jruttle@ Read More Vancouver Canucks Local News Homes Sports Business
CTV News
an hour ago
- CTV News
Special Olympic Provincial Summer Games set to begin to N.S.
Over 9,000 athletes, coaches and volunteers will gather in Antigonish for the Nova Scotia Provincial Summer Special Olympics. Antigonish and St. Francis Xavier University will be hosting the 2025 Special Olympics N.S. Provincial Summer Games from July 24 to 27. 'I think it just makes me feel even more confident because I'm like, okay, I can do that. I can do anything,' said Ashely Thomas, a soccer player out of the Sackville-Bedford region. Thomas was a member of Team Canada who competed in Germany at the 2023 World Summer Games. She has been playing soccer with the Special Olympics Nova Scotia (SONS) team since 2012, saying she's grown both on and off the pitch. 'Well, I'm faster. I'm stronger. I'm more confident and knowing when new people come into the team, it's just making them feel confident and welcoming.' This is something her coach, Geoff Tyler, agreed with. 'Because it's all about teamwork. And that's not just in sport, that's in life is that we have to have teamwork,' he told CTV News. 'But seeing that progress from the early stages to now, and I've always had ideas of how to teach the game, how I would like to see it played and just to put those skills forward to them and then to see them actually do it and make plays that you've taught them it's a really, really good feeling.' Tyler joined SONS over 10 years ago because of his son Xavier. 'My wife got him involved with Special Olympics, and so I went along one evening to have a look, and it looked like I was interested,' laughed Tyler. 'So they called me down to join in, and the coaching started from there.' For both athletes and coaches, SONS is more than just what happens on the field. 'It's not just about, the sport itself, but the group that you're with. It's about how it affects you in everyday life,' explained Tyler. 'It gave me a lot of confidence and other things in other aspects of my life. I have better skills to be able to cope with different things and then throw that in with the sport that I love and then teaching that people are willing to learn.' 'Because it's fun. It's like another family,' said Thomas. 'You can't really know unless you're there. Like when you're there, it clicks like 'oh, that's what Ashley was talking about.'' In his 10 years, Tyler is impressed by the growth of Special Olympics in the province. 'More and more people are getting more aware of it and when you're involved, you talk about it, because it's trying to get people outside of their own bubbles to realize it is a thing,' he said. 'It is there, and it's fun and it's a good thing to be involved with. So, you know, we always coach people to be involved in some way, whether it's volunteering or coaching or just come along to support your region because they're all proud of playing for their hometown.' This weekend will see four days of competition in basketball, bocce, golf, swimming, rhythmic gymnastics, track and field, and soccer. These games serve as qualifiers for the 2026 National Summer Games, which will be held in Medicine Hat, Alta., in August 2026. The weekend will see over 850 athletes, coaches and volunteers. 'You can expect to see lots of really, really happy people,' smiled Tyler. 'They're all having fun. There's lots of different sports going on, so whatever your sport is, just go choose that, have a look, see what's going on, and you'll just see people having fun, having a good time, and competing and competing strong as well.' With growing awareness top of mind. 'My group itself is 25 athletes, and it is pretty big. We only really get six weeks off in the year. Other sports don't do that,' Tyler said of the growth of soccer in the region. 'We're really lucky that we train most of the year, and plus our region itself is big, like the second biggest region has grown as more and more people become aware of it.' Of course, the goal is winning, too. 'We're taking home gold!' shouted Thomas. For more Nova Scotia news, visit our dedicated provincial page
