Ken Owens (basketball)

Last updated
Ken Owens
Personal information
Born (1959-05-03) May 3, 1959 (age 65)
New York City, New York, U.S.
Listed height6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)
Listed weight180 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
Number14
Coaching career1987–present
Career history
As coach:
1987–2020 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.

Contents

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 following season, Idaho returned the bulk of its perimeter attack with Owens, 1981 Big Sky Player of the Year Brian Kellerman, and senior forward Gordon Herbert, who returned after a medical redshirt year. [9] The Vandals opened with sixteen victories, including wins over four Pacific-10 Conference opponents. An early highlight of the season was winning the Far West Classic in Portland in late December, defeating Iowa State, Oregon State, and Oregon. Owens led the way, scoring 32 points in the championship game and taking tournament MVP honors. [10] The fast start helped the Vandals to rise to eighth in the AP poll before falling at Montana on a last-second shot in January. [11] This was their sole conference loss, and only one of two in a 24–2 regular season; they won their last eight games and climbed to sixth in both major polls. Owens capped the regular season by winning Big Sky Player of the Year honors, [12] [13] averaging 14.5 points and 4.0 assists. [14]

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 1982 NBA draft by the Seattle SuperSonics, [18] but did not make the team. After a failed tryout with the Edmonton Eskimos of the Canadian Football League, he signed with Athletes in Action Canada, and played exhibitions against a number of U.S. and Canadian colleges. [19] In 1987, he turned to coaching, accepting an assistant coach position at Columbia Basin College in Pasco, where he remained for over thirty years. [17]

Related Research Articles

Donald Lloyd Monson is a former college basketball head coach and the father of head coach Dan Monson. He was a high school head coach for 18 seasons and college head coach for 14 seasons: five at Idaho and nine at Oregon. He was selected by his peers as the national coach of the year in 1982. Monson spent 1993 in Australia, coaching the Adelaide 36ers of the National Basketball League.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gordon Herbert</span> Canadian-Finnish basketball coach

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Idaho Vandals men's basketball</span> Basketball team at the University of Idaho

The Idaho Vandals men's basketball team represents the University of Idaho, located in Moscow, Idaho, in NCAA Division I basketball competition. They currently compete in the Big Sky Conference. The Vandals are coached by Alex Pribble and play home games at the new Idaho Central Credit Union Arena. This venue, which also houses the women's basketball team, opened in 2021 as the replacement for the Vandals' primary home of the Kibbie Dome, whose basketball configuration was known as Cowan Spectrum, and alternate venue of Memorial Gym.

The 1982 Idaho Vandals football team represented the University of Idaho in the 1982 NCAA Division I-AA football season. The Vandals, led by first-year head coach Dennis Erickson, were members of the Big Sky Conference and played their home games at the Kibbie Dome, an indoor facility on campus in Moscow, Idaho.

The 1981 Idaho Vandals football team represented the University of Idaho in the 1981 NCAA Division I-AA football season. The Vandals, led by fourth-year head coach Jerry Davitch, were members of the Big Sky Conference and played their home games at the Kibbie Dome, an indoor facility on campus in Moscow, Idaho.

The 1985 Idaho Vandals football team represented the University of Idaho in the 1985 NCAA Division I-AA football season. The Vandals, led by fourth-year head coach Dennis Erickson, were members of the Big Sky Conference and played their home games at the Kibbie Dome, an indoor facility on campus in Moscow, Idaho.

The 1964 Idaho Vandals football team represented the University of Idaho in the 1964 NCAA University Division football season. The Vandals were led by third-year head coach Dee Andros and were an independent in the NCAA's University Division. Home games were played on campus at Neale Stadium in Moscow, with one home game in Boise at old Bronco Stadium at Boise Junior College.

The 1965 Idaho Vandals football team represented the University of Idaho in the 1965 NCAA University Division football season. The Vandals were led by first-year head coach Steve Musseau and played in the Big Sky Conference for the first time; they played the previous six seasons as an independent in the NCAA University Division. Home games were played on campus at Neale Stadium in Moscow, with one home game in Boise at old Bronco Stadium at Boise Junior College.

The 1962–63 Idaho Vandals men's basketball team represented the University of Idaho during the 1962–63 NCAA University Division men's basketball season. The independent Vandals were led by third-year head coach Joe Cipriano, and played their home games on campus at the Memorial Gymnasium, in Moscow, Idaho.

The 1981–82 Idaho Vandals men's basketball team represented the University of Idaho during the 1981–82 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The defending champions of the Big Sky Conference, Vandals were led by fourth-year head coach Don Monson and played their home games on campus at the Kibbie Dome in Moscow, Idaho.

The 1980–81 Idaho Vandals men's basketball team represented the University of Idaho during the 1980–81 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The Vandals were led by third-year head coach Don Monson and played their home games on campus at the Kibbie Dome in Moscow, Idaho.

The 1982–83 Idaho Vandals men's basketball team represented the University of Idaho during the 1982–83 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The two-time defending champions of the Big Sky Conference, Vandals were led by fifth-year head coach Don Monson and played their home games on campus at the Kibbie Dome in Moscow, Idaho.

The 1979–80 Idaho Vandals men's basketball team represented the University of Idaho during the 1979–80 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The Vandals were led by second-year head coach Don Monson and played their home games on campus at the Kibbie Dome in Moscow, Idaho.

The 1990 Idaho Vandals football team represented the University of Idaho in the 1990 NCAA Division I-AA football season. The Vandals were led by second-year head coach John L. Smith, were members of the Big Sky Conference and played their home games at the Kibbie Dome, an indoor facility on campus in Moscow, Idaho.

The 1977–78 Idaho Vandals men's basketball team represented the University of Idaho during the 1977–78 NCAA Division I basketball season. Members of the Big Sky Conference, the Vandals were led by fourth-year head coach Jim Jarvis and played their home games on campus at the Kibbie Dome in Moscow, Idaho. They were 4–22 overall and 1–13 in conference play.

The 1978–79 Idaho Vandals men's basketball team represented the University of Idaho during the 1978–79 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. Members of the Big Sky Conference, the Vandals were led by first-year head coach Don Monson and played their home games on campus at the Kibbie Dome in Moscow, Idaho. They were 11–15 overall and 4–10 in conference play.

The 1981–82 Weber State Wildcats men's basketball team represented Weber State College during the 1981–82 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. Members of the Big Sky Conference, the Wildcats were led by seventh-year head coach Neil McCarthy and played their home games on campus at Dee Events Center in Ogden, Utah.

The 1983–84 Idaho Vandals men's basketball team represented the University of Idaho during the 1983–84 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. Members of the Big Sky Conference, the Vandals were led by first-year head coach Bill Trumbo and played their home games on campus at the Kibbie Dome in Moscow, Idaho.

Brian Kellerman is an American former basketball player, known for his college career for the Idaho Vandals, where he was the Big Sky Conference player of the year in 1981 as a sophomore. He later played professionally in England and Turkey.

References

  1. 1 2 Killen, John (January 10, 1982). "Magic: Owens makes teams go poof". Lewiston Morning Tribune. (Idaho). p. 6C.
  2. ↑ "'Union Pacific' — no ramblin' wreck but a fine engineer". The Spokesman-Review . February 12, 1982. p. 20. Retrieved August 9, 2020– via Newspapers.com. Open Access logo PLoS transparent.svg
  3. ↑ White Jr., Gordon S. (January 18, 1982). "Idaho is rolling on, with New Yorker key player". The New York Times . Retrieved August 9, 2020.
  4. ↑ "Guards head league's list". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). Associated Press. March 12, 1981. p. 22.
  5. ↑ "Briefs: Kellerman honored". Spokane Daily Chronicle. (Washington). March 12, 1981. p. 52.
  6. ↑ Sahlberg, Bert (March 10, 1981). "Vandals win it all over stubborn Grizzlies". Idaho Argonaut. (Moscow). (University of Idaho). p. 9.
  7. ↑ "Idaho wins first-ever Sky crown". Times-News . March 8, 1981. p. 41. Retrieved August 9, 2020– via Newspapers.com. Open Access logo PLoS transparent.svg
  8. ↑ "Vandals battle Pitt in NCAA Tourney opener". The Spokesman-Review . March 9, 1981. p. 10. Retrieved August 9, 2020– via Newspapers.com. Open Access logo PLoS transparent.svg
  9. ↑ "Guard tandem spearheads Idaho's Big Sky title defense". Times-News . November 11, 1981. p. 46. Retrieved August 9, 2020– via Newspapers.com. Open Access logo PLoS transparent.svg
  10. ↑ "Idaho has no time to celebrate". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). December 31, 1981. p. 13. Retrieved August 9, 2020– via Newspapers.com. Open Access logo PLoS transparent.svg
  11. ↑ "Selvig's followup gives Grizzlies stunning 53–51 win over no. 8 Idaho". Independent Record . January 24, 1982. p. 9. Retrieved August 9, 2020– via Newspapers.com. Open Access logo PLoS transparent.svg
  12. ↑ "Vandals honored". Spokane Chronicle. (Washington). March 10, 1982. p. 34.
  13. ↑ "Owens: Vandal guard named MVP". Lewiston Morning Tribune. (Idaho). Associated Press. March 10, 1982. p. 1C.
  14. ↑ "Idaho guards lead list of Big Sky All-Stars". The Sacramento Bee . March 11, 1982. p. 70. Retrieved August 9, 2020– via Newspapers.com. Open Access logo PLoS transparent.svg
  15. ↑ Killen, John (March 7, 1982). "Vandals dream of another playoff". Lewiston Morning Tribune. Idaho. p. 3C.
  16. ↑ "'Krysko' pulls most votes for all-time Big Sky team". The Montana Standard . January 24, 1988. p. 12. Retrieved August 9, 2020– via Newspapers.com. Open Access logo PLoS transparent.svg
  17. 1 2 "Hall of Fame - Ken Owens". Idaho Vandals . January 5, 2012. Retrieved August 9, 2020.
  18. ↑ "Ken Owens goes in 4th". Missoulian . June 30, 1982. p. 27. Retrieved August 9, 2020– via Newspapers.com. Open Access logo PLoS transparent.svg
  19. ↑ "Former Vandal returns to roots". The Spokesman-Review . November 9, 1982. p. 17. Retrieved August 9, 2020– via Newspapers.com. Open Access logo PLoS transparent.svg
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