When you think of 6'4 1/2'' senior forward Garland Owens of Magruder High School and Mid Atlantic Select you think of all the electrifying dunks he's delivered in the last couple years. You think of the success that he and his Magruder Colonels have. But there's so much more to the well spoken 17 year old senior.
Owens, Capitol Hoops' first player of the month for the 2011-1012 season is a highlight machine. Check out his highlight tape and you'll see more dunks and big time blocked shot from any sub 6'5'' player that you have ever seen. And he doesn't just dunk, he brings thunder and swagger to the court. But don't be fooled, there's so much more to the guy whose peers call him "Showtime". Owens was a star baseball and football player but decided that basketball was going to be the sport that he concentrated on most, and is now pursuing his options to play at the collegiate level. In the winter he wears a Magruder Colonels uniform. In the summer he wears Mid Atlantic Select Uniform on the AAU circuit. We recently had a chance to meet with Owens and asked him some questions.
Interview
(CH) Capitol Hoops: How old were you the first time you dunked?
(GO) Garland Owens: 13 yrs old
CH: As far as college goes, who is recruiting you, what schools are you considering?
GO: Towson, Hartford, Long Island (LIU), NJIT, Siena, New Hampshire, and St. Bonaventure.
CH: Tell me what it's like to play with a point guard like JJ?
GO: It's great because he creates a lot of open shots for me and my teammates. He also plays tough defense which creates alot of transition points and opportunities.
CH: Tell me what its like to play on a team as good as the the team you're on now?
GO: It feels great because the chemistry is coming together. I think chemistry is very important on any team. We continue to be a work in progress. It's going to be interesting to see what the team will look like as we approach the playoffs. I think most importantly, everyone understands their role within the team, which helps the chemistry and growth of the team.
CH: What are your feelings on Coach Harwood? How has he helped you improve your game?
GO: I think Coach Harwood understands the game and has built a solid program at Magruder over the years. His success and ability to win and produce goods teams has helped the program grow. Personally, Coach Harwood continues to motivate me to play hard and get better each week.
CH: What do you like to study, what interests you, any idea what type of career you'd like to get into after college/basketball?
GO: Currently, I like sociology and I'm considering that as a major. A career I would like to pursue is maybe a teacher or coach. I'd like to be around the game and contribute to the development of others.
CH: Tell me about the best/most memorable dunk you've ever had in a game?
GO: During the summer, I was up in Boston at a Hoop Mountain Camp. During the championship game, I broke the rim!! The game had to be stopped.
CH: Do you play any other sports ?
GO: Yes, I played football and baseball from the age of 11yrs. old. to this year. I actually loved playing baseball.. However, baseball created a big conflict between the AAU basketball season, travel, etc. I had to make a decision to just stick with the basketball which I think offered me the biggest upside.
CH: What was it like to get all the way to the Comcast Center last year and lose to North Point? How heart breaking was that after you dethroned Springbrook, only to turn around and lose your next game?
GO: It was a major disappointment. We had worked hard the entire season. It was a hard fought game, however, I just think that North Point just outplayed us and they deserved the win. Even though we lost the game, it was a great experience for me and my teammates. It motivated us to do our best to get back to Comcast in 2012 and the opportunity and privilege to play on the big stage.
CH: What team do you see being your biggest obstacle in capturing a state chip this year? North Point?
GO: I would say Churchill and North Point.. Churchill is a well coached team with a lot of returning players. We can't look past them or any other school in the county. Every team plays us tough each week. I think North Point will probably be the other obstacle because they"ve been on the big stage before and they're returning a lot of players from last years team and are well coached.
CH: You play AAU with Mid Atlantic Select right? What do you think the major differences are between HS and AAU?
GO: Yes, I do play with MAS. I think the major difference is the competition you face every game. Everybody can play and you have to play 3 or 4 games in a day..But also, during the "live period" recruiting period, you get the opportunity to play in front of alot of college coaches. Unlike the regular high school season, a lot of the coaches and their staffs can't make it out to the games because of their season, etc. I think the AAU circuit allows you to market yourself against solid competition.
CH: Whats been your best basketball experience outside of playing with Magruder? Any memorable AAU trips?
GO: Definitely playing for MAS. Coach James and the entire organization is focused on getting the players to the next level. They invest the time and resources in making everyone better from individual work, conditioning , to SAT Prep work. My experience with MAS was great because I was able to meet and play with other great players in the area, while their style of play allowed me to showcase my skills to the colleges coaches and prepared me for the playing at the next level. The most memorable AAU trip was to Boston. The competition was high and was a lot of fun as I got to spend a lot of time with my teammates and meet a lot of new people up in the northeast area of the country.
CH: What do you like to do when you're not playing basketball or doing school work?
GO: I like attending church and spending a lot of time with my family and friends.
CH: Why did you decide to attend Magruder, a public school, instead of a private school (like so many good basketball players in our area do) where you could have potentially gotten a lot more exposure?
GO: I decided on Magruder because my parents and other siblings were products of the public school system. I also felt that I was in the right position and that if I worked hard, everything would fall into place. My parents also thought that a solid AAU organization like MAS would help me market my skills to the college coaches.
CH: Do you have any brothers or sisters? Is anyone else in your family a good basketball player?
GO: I have an older brother and 3 older sisters. My 2 sisters Corinne & Jessica were All-county athletes in basketball at Magruder and played basketball at the next level. My sister Corinne was the 1st student athlete at Magruder to surpass the 1,000 point mark in just 3 years. I come from a very competitiveve and athletic family.
CH: What NBA/college player reminds you of yourself the most?
GO: The college player I would say Terrence Jones because of his ability to go inside and out. At the NBA level, I would say Lebron because of his athleticism.
Garland has a very bright future and we look forward to following him throughout his career. Capitol Hoops wishes Garland all the very best in his future endeavors.
