Saskatoon StarPhoenix

Top two draft picks going to push for jobs Rush GM predicts

- DARREN ZARY dzary@postmedia.com Twitter.com/@DZfromtheS­P

The Saskatchew­an Rush is looking to both the future and the present with its 2017 National Lacrosse League draft class.

“I feel it was a good night,” Rush head coach and general manager Derek Keenan said on Monday night. “Obviously we were (picking) a little down in the draft, but that was part of our strategy going forward to the next few years. I really like some of our picks.

“I was absolutely thrilled with our first two picks because I didn’t think either of those kids would be there. They were good ones, for sure.”

With Saskatchew­an’s first pick, 16th overall, the Rush chose Nick Finlay of the Peterborou­gh Jr. A Lakers.

With its second pick, 19th overall, Saskatchew­an selected Johnny Pearson from the Ohio State University Buckeyes.

“Finlay and Pearson could pretty well play now,” said Keenan. “They’re both pretty polished players. They’re going to push guys for jobs and that’s what we want.”

Finlay is a lefty transition player to complement veteran Adrian Sorichetti.

“It’s a pretty big honour — it’s sort of a surreal feeling all around,” Finlay told NLL.com. “They’ve won a couple of championsh­ips recently. It’s a pretty big deal to go there, I think. I’m pretty excited.

“I’m going to try and battle hard and maybe crack the squad. I’m going to try and help that building process and hopefully be there for a while.”

Pearson and the Buckeyes advanced to the NCAA national championsh­ip final this year.

“The nerves are over, that’s for sure,” Pearson told NLL.com.

“I’ll be coming in with a lot of hard work and determinat­ion and I’ll do everything I can to make the program better.”

The Rush picked Chris Boushy in the third round, 31st overall. Boushy is described as a very skilled forward who scored 27 goals and 71 points with the Burlington, Ont., Jr. A Chiefs. He also plays lacrosse at Queen’s University in Kingston, Ont.

Saskatchew­an’s fourth pick, 41st overall in the draft, was Austin Murphy, a Wingate University Bulldog product.

With its final pick, 58th overall, the Rush chose homegrown defender Anthony Hallborg, from the Saskatchew­an SWAT Jr. A lacrosse squad, in the fifth round to close out the draft.

“That kid can play,” said Keenan. “We were really happy to get him. He had a really good combine. He’s an athlete. He’s fast. He’s got some skill. A nice kid. He’s in tough to make our roster, but I like him. He’s going to add a lot of compete to our training camp.”

Hallborg was one of three players from the SWAT, along with three players from the Saskatoon Brewers, who were among the North American lacrosse players who attended the weekend’s NLL combine held to showcase this year’s class of draft prospects.

Eli Batt and Damien Daniels also represente­d the SWAT. Representi­ng the Brewers were Drew Dyzdiak, Brandon Murphy and Louden Choptuik.

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