HAMILTON – Quebec giant Marc-André Fortin, who plays with the Montreal Alliance, has some discomfort identifying his favorite athlete when he was younger: former Canadiens player Andrei Kostitsyn.
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Before turning to basketball, the 6’8″ athlete had long hoped for a career in hockey. Originally from Sainte-Marie, the former right winger was a proud representative of the Beauce-Amiante clubs. Fortin even participated twice in the Camp des Tigres de Victoriaville in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League, at a time when Kostitsyn had already returned to the KHL.
If he definitely changed discipline around 2015, the proud 26-year-old Beauceron finally realized his dream, Wednesday evening, of starting a career in professional sport. Luckily, however, it was in a hockey arena, that of the Hamilton Bulldogs, in the Ontario Junior League.
“It’s fun for me to play on the ice,” Fortin himself said Wednesday night in Hamilton, as part of the game between the Alliance and the Honey Badgers. This remains the start of my professional career and I don’t intend for it to end anytime soon. I’m glad it started. »
“A wonderful experience”
Although the Alliance lost the game by a score of 80-72, Fortin played for over 14 minutes, scoring his first five points in the Canadian Basketball Elite League (CBLE). He also had four rebounds and three assists.
“It would have been nice to win, but it was a great first experience,” he said. I was used a lot and I had the opportunity to show what I am capable of. I’m pretty happy. »
Playing as a basketball center, Fortin shared the duties with Greek veteran Gaios Skordilis.
“It is sure that the arrival of a guy like Gaios can bring me a lot; he’s been playing with the pros for fifteen years, admitted the former Rouge et Or of Laval University. The level is much higher than the university [au Québec]but I feel like I’m able to handle it all very well.
The support of the crowd
After this baptism in Hamilton, Fortin hopes to take full advantage of the Alliance’s first home game, on Sunday, May 29, at the Verdun Auditorium.
“There will be family and friends, it will be curious for me to be encouraged in Montreal, he noted. During my university career, with the Rouge et Or, we were always enemies.
Why Kostitsyn?
Before concluding: why Andrei Kostitsyn?
“I have a hard time explaining it to myself, but he still had some good years,” said Fortin with a laugh. When I went to basketball, I really liked Blake Griffin, I watched him “dunker”, it was impressive. That’s what I wanted to do. »
A message to pass on in closing: “I am one of those who encourage young people to do several sports, it allows them to develop different skills”. It is said!
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