Ukraine basketball players find homes at Canadian college

By The Associated Press

Ukrainian basketball players Vika Kovalevska and Vlada Hozalova have found brief sanctuary from the war in their homeland playing for the University of Lethbridge in Alberta. The pair fled their Ukrainian homes and arrived in Canada in May. Kovalevska and Hozalova are friends who have played internationally for Ukraine’s under-20 women’s team. They were pro players back home but are allowed to compete collegiately in Canada. They say basketball has provided a welcome distraction from watching the news back home. The sport is the perfect escape because “there is no time to think about anything else,” says Kovalevska.