SOUTHERN SECTION BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIPS : Corona del Mar’s Owen Enjoys His Reserve Role With a Winner

Corona del Mar guard Joel Owen didn’t like the idea at first, but basking in the championship glow of the Sea Kings’ 47-46 victory over Playa del Rey St. Bernard, the 5-foot-10 senior guard looked as if he loved his new role.

“This feels great,” said Owen, after his team won the Southern Section Division IV-AA boys’ basketball championship. “It’s the best feeling in the world.”

Owen’s body didn’t feel so good during the season as nagging injuries to his knee and hamstrings hobbled him. It forced Corona del Mar Coach Paul Orris to make Owen a reserve.

Although Owen again didn’t start Friday, he made the clutch plays down the stretch to help the Sea Kings’ victory.

Owen’s precision passing set up the Sea Kings’ final five points in the last two minutes.

Sure it was Brian Coleman who made the game-winning free throws with 35 seconds remaining, but guess who fed him the ball through traffic?

With 2 minutes 5 seconds remaining and the Sea Kings nursing a two-point lead, who got the assist on Eric Schiff’s layup to put Corona del Mar ahead, 44-40?

And who found the team’s leading scorer, Brian Fracalosy, underneath the basket with 1:49 remaining and the Sea Kings up by three? Fracalosy made one of two free throws, giving him a game-high 15 points, to put Corona del Mar up, 45-41.

“I wanted the ball in my hands at the end,” Owen said. “I knew I wouldn’t turn it over.”

Although Corona del Mar committed 18 turnovers against St. Bernard’s pressure defense, Owen had none in the second half.

“We had more than five starters all season,” Orris said. “We could only put five on the floor, so we thought we were stronger by starting a bigger lineup.”

The Sea Kings started Fracalosy (6-3) and Dom DeGrazier (6-0) in the backcourt and had Coleman (6-3), Schiff (6-3) and Adam Klinke (6-3) on the front line.

“Bringing Joel in off the bench actually put us in a position of strength,” Orris said. “When we substitute, instead of bringing our best players off the floor, we were putting one of our best out there.”

Owen’s line for Friday wasn’t impressive. He made two of three from the field for four points and he finished with one rebound, one assist, one turnover, one steal and one blocked shot in 17 1/2 minutes. But his impact was unmistakable.

The player who didn’t start finished the victory Friday, lobbing an inbounds pass to Fracalosy to run out the final two seconds.

“I just had to accept my new role,” Owen said. “Coming off the bench, I have to do anything to help the team win.”

And Owen helped the Sea Kings win their fourth section title in 19 years.