Ken Owens (basketball)
Personal information | |
---|---|
Born | New York City, New York, U.S. | May 3, 1959
Listed height | 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) |
Listed weight | 180 lb (82 kg) |
Career information | |
High school | Manhattan Vocational and Technical (New York City, New York) |
College |
|
NBA draft | 1982: 4th round, 88th overall pick |
Selected by the Seattle SuperSonics | |
Position | Point guard |
Number | 14 |
Coaching career | 1987–present |
Career history | |
As coach: | |
1987–present | Columbia Basin (assistant) |
Career highlights and awards | |
| |
Ken Owens (born May 3, 1959) is an American basketball coach and former player. He is known for his college basketball career at the University of Idaho, and was the Big Sky Conference Player of the Year in 1982. Owens is currently an assistant coach for Columbia Basin College in Pasco, Washington.
Early life and education
Born and raised in New York City, Owens attended Manhattan Vocational and Technical High School, then went west to Treasure Valley Community College (TVCC) in eastern Oregon, where he was recruited by former Idaho assistant Dale James.
University of Idaho
This connection paid off for Vandals' head coach Don Monson as he recruited the point guard to complete his college career on the Palouse at Idaho.[1][2][3]
Owens moved into the Idaho starting lineup immediately, succeeding conference player of the year Don Newman.[1] He helped lead the Vandals to their first regular season title, averaging 13.5 points and 3.8 assists per game and earning second-team all-conference honors.[4][5] At the close of the 1980–81 season, Owens led the team to a Big Sky tournament championship and the program's first NCAA tournament berth. He scored 18 points in the championship game against Montana and was named tournament MVP.[6][7][8] Seventh-seeded in the West region, the Vandals lost in overtime by a point and ended the season at 25–4.
The
Idaho again hosted and won the conference tournament, and Owens repeated as tourney MVP.[15] Ranked eighth in both polls, they entered the 48-team NCAA tournament as the West region's third seed, with a first-round bye. After an overtime win in the second round over Iowa at neighboring Pullman, the Vandals advanced to the Sweet 16, but fell in a rematch to fourth-ranked Oregon State, the West's second seed, and ended at 27–3, which remains the program's best season.
Owens has received several accolades for his two seasons at Idaho, the best ever (52–7 (.881)) for Vandal basketball. In 1988, he was named to the Big Sky Conference's all-time team, named for the league's 25th anniversary.[16] In 2012, he was inducted into the University of Idaho's athletics Hall of Fame.[17]
Later playing career and coaching
Following the close of his college career, Owens was selected in the fourth round (88th overall) of the
References
- ^ a b Killen, John (January 10, 1982). "Magic: Owens makes teams go poof". Lewiston Morning Tribune. (Idaho). p. 6C.
- ^ White Jr., Gordon S. (January 18, 1982). "Idaho is rolling on, with New Yorker key player". The New York Times. Retrieved August 9, 2020.
- ^ "Guards head league's list". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). Associated Press. March 12, 1981. p. 22.
- ^ "Briefs: Kellerman honored". Spokane Daily Chronicle. (Washington). March 12, 1981. p. 52.
- ^ Sahlberg, Bert (March 10, 1981). "Vandals win it all over stubborn Grizzlies". Idaho Argonaut. (Moscow). (University of Idaho). p. 9.
- ^ "Vandals honored". Spokane Chronicle. (Washington). March 10, 1982. p. 34.
- ^ "Owens: Vandal guard named MVP". Lewiston Morning Tribune. (Idaho). Associated Press. March 10, 1982. p. 1C.
- ^ Killen, John (March 7, 1982). "Vandals dream of another playoff". Lewiston Morning Tribune. Idaho. p. 3C.
- ^ a b "Hall of Fame - Ken Owens". Idaho Vandals. January 5, 2012. Retrieved August 9, 2020.