Mill Rats Brass Eyes Top Talent
August 20, 2011 - National Basketball League of Canada (NBL Canada)
Saint John Riptide News Release
The front office of the Saint John Mill Rats are in Toronto for inaugural NBL Canada Pre-Draft Combine and Draft, being held this weekend. The combine is a two day event being held at Seneca College, while the draft is scheduled for Sunday 8PM AST at the Rogers Centre.
Mill Rats Head Coach Jaren Jackson, along with President and General Manager, Ian McCarthy, and Vice President of Marketing, David Cooper, spent all day Saturday scouring the talent at the free agent day of the combine. Sunday will be for Canadian players only.
"This is the first time that a draft has ever been done like this at this level," explained McCarthy, "We are doing a real combine, a real-time draft tomorrow night, and a live broadcast."
Nearly 100 players were put through the paces by NBLC Combine Director Rick Lewis, consisting of tests, skill drills, and live games.
"Coach Jackson and I will be looking for the best available players at tomorrow night's draft. Its very tricky not knowing what the teams picking ahead of us will do."
The NBL Canada Draft will be streamed live from the Rogers Centre via a link on www.nblcanada.ca starting at 8pm Atlantic Standard Time (7pm Eastern Standard).
"We encourage basketball fans from around the world to watch and participate in this historical weekend by posting on the league and team's official Facebook and Twitter pages," said Levingston. "The official hashtag we've created is #NBLCDraft. We look forward to interacting with our fans and reading their comments throughout the weekend."
Twenty players were selected from today's combine to be present and eligible to be drafted at tomorrow night's draft. They will join thirty Canadian players selected tomorrow to make up the available player pool for the draft. The draft will consist of three rounds, with the first being for a free agent player and the second and third being for Canadian players only.
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National Basketball League of Canada Stories from August 20, 2011
- Mill Rats Brass Eyes Top Talent - Saint John Riptide
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