National Sports

INDIANAPOLIS — Indiana wanted its next coach to take the franchise in a new direction. The Pacers were seeking someone who could communicate with today’s players, who was open to a new offensive philosophy and who could win some post-season games.

A Scotiabank CONCACAF League match between Haiti's Arcahaie FC and Belize's Verdes FC was postponed just hours before kickoff Tuesday after four players and four staff members from Verdes FC have tested positive for COVID-19.

TORONTO — Mitch Marner texted Jake Muzzin the moment he heard rumblings Joe Thornton might be interested in signing with the Maple Leafs.

Team Tracy Fleury, a foursome that appears close to a breakthrough on the Canadian women's curling scene, has brought in longtime skip Sherry Middaugh as coach to help get them to the top.

TORONTO — York 9 FC has signed attacking midfielder Mateo Hernandez from Argentina's Club Atletico Colon.

Vancouver Canucks centre Adam Gaudette knows there's a certain amount of risk with his new one-year contract, but says the wager is nothing new. “I think a guy like me, every year’s kind of a bet-on-himself year," he said on a video call Tuesday.

Bowling is a game of repetition, so Francois Lavoie's game suffered when he was separated from his sport during the pandemic lockdown.

OAKLAND, Calif. — Lawyers for Toronto Raptors president Masai Ujiri say a law enforcement officer's court motion should be denied, calling allegations about a confrontation between the two at the 2019 NBA Finals "a complete fabrication.

INDIANAPOLIS — The Indiana Pacers have hired former Toronto assistant Nate Bjorkgren as their new head coach. Bjorkgren spent the last two seasons on the staff of Raptors coach Nick Nurse and helped Toronto win its first NBA title in 2018-19.

Keegan Messing will take the ice alone this week at Skate America in Las Vegas, without even fans in the arena to cheer him on. But he'll be skating with all of Canada's team in his thoughts.