By Stephen Smoot
The road to scoring exactly 1,600 career points and setting a school record extends much longer than simply the playing of the games, working hard at practices, and having the raw physical ability. One starts the road early in life, trudges up the hills, navigates the curves, and figures a way around or through the obstacles that block it. Along the way, the athlete develops the kind of confidence that not only guides his or her own path, but also inspires others to pursue their best potential.
Chase Owens embarked on that road long ago.
“When we were younger,” shared Chase, “we could only play basketball and baseball.” Those early teams also featured some of the teammates who would play alongside him all the way to their senior year. He shared that he competed on grade school teams and “I got into travel ball in the summer.”
Early in the season, after Pendleton County gave its fans a Christmas present in a big win over Class AA rival Moorefield, basketball head coach Josh Owens, who also happens to be the father of Chase, recalled the same point of origin. When asked about the natural looking teamwork of the players, he explained, “These boys have been playing on teams together since first grade. These guys know the game. I’m very proud of them.”
Basketball emerged as one of Owens’ great sports joys. He shared how he enjoyed the NBA and how it inspired his early ambition, but also noted, “I fell in love with the sport.”
There’s nothing quite like a basketball gymnasium on the night of a big game. Arrive too late and no parking remains. As one slowly makes one’s way to get inside, the combined sounds of balls bouncing on sturdy wooden floors, music, and the electric energy of an excited crowd await.
“The atmosphere during games is so different than baseball and football,” he explained.
Hundreds of passionate fans packed into small high school gyms bring a bustling energy right up to the floor. One finds out quickly if they love or hate the team. Some see such an environment and get intimidated, but “gamers” like Owens just get that much more excited. It enhances “that feeling I get when I go out and play,” Chase said.
No one who takes that road, then climbs that mountain, can reach the peak without putting in the repetitions that build skills. “It’s definitely hard. You have to put a lot of work in every day. It’s hard to tell how many shots I’ve shot,” Chase commented. When others did other things, he was “in the gym on weekends, shooting on the Dr. Dish machine.”
Chase was not always doing the work alone. His brother, Travis, followed him down the path of hard work, dedication, and the drive to make themselves and their teams as great as possible. Conditions didn’t matter. “We’d shoot in the winter with ice on the court. We’d play,” said Chase.
The past two seasons, the brothers took the court for Pendleton County High School. They brought different styles of play. Both could shoot from anywhere on the floor. Both could create their own offense off the dribble. Both could find open teammates with deft passing.
But while Travis Owens was a slasher, finding angles and exploding through them to the basket, Chase Owens, though he could attack the basket swiftly, he more often barged through or bulled over defenders. Creating offense often mean putting one’s back on the defender, feeling for a weakness, then pushing through to the score.
His strength in the guard position meant that when he took his game to the post against a man-to-man defense, almost no other guards could stop him one on one. On the outside, play off of Chase Owens, he would beat one with a three-point shot. Play up close and tight, he powers past the defender and finds an open man or drives through to the basket.
One regret from his time playing with his brother lies in a play they attempted a few times, but never completed. This season, Travis Owens’ started the season able to leap high in the air to dunk the ball. The brothers tried a few alley-oop plays but couldn’t connect. He got a big smile when talking about Travis’ potential, saying, “He’s going to be special.”
Leadership does not have to be loud. It just needs to be effective. The acknowledged leader of the squad, Chase said, “I’m not a vocal guy. I lead by example. They see me do something, they do that too.” Over time, however, he understood that his teammates needed to hear from him. He shared, “Before the game, “I’d give a speech to motivate them.”
Confidence played a huge role in the team taking a step forward this year. Chase stated, “When you see that ball go through the basket, it gives you confidence.” The players do the same for each other in “believing in each other.”
An unexpected vacancy in the head coaching position in December elevated Josh Owens, father of Chase and Travis, as head coach. He said of playing for his dad, “We definitely butt heads sometimes” but “it was a great experience and amazing.”
He praised his father’s efforts to take the team as far as it could, explaining that “he worked as hard as anyone to get us to states.”
Chase hit the milestone in one of the final games of the season. His 1,600 points eclipses Pendleton County High School’s former overall points record holder Liz Bowers Somerville. She tallied 1,586 between 2001 and 2004.
For the future, Chase has a plan. “I’d like to play college basketball,” he stated. He also plans to earn civil and mining engineering degrees up to a masters at West Virginia University. While not yet recruited, he has put feelers out. Some college somewhere will want a rugged guard who can score from anywhere on the court, defend with intelligence and toughness, rebound with strength, and has a near 50 percent make rate in three-point shots for his final season.
Wildcat fans will also remember his contributions in football as a linebacker, running back, and possession receiver. In a few weeks, he will take the mount for head coach Sam Yokum when baseball starts up.
Chase has another dream in mind though. He said, “Absolutely, I’d love to coach any sport. I’d love to coach in the future,” Almost wistfully, he expressed a desire to coach his brother.
Basketball ends, baseball commences. And for one last season, Chase Owens will put on the uniform of a Pendleton County competitor, working to push his team and himself to be the best possible.
