Former Wharton forward Owens signs with Mount St. Mary’s

Posted Aug 17, 2011 by Nick Williams

Updated Aug 17, 2011 at 04:58 PM

Former Wharton forward Xavier Owens, who graduated this past school year, has signed with Division I Mount St. Mary’s, located in Emmitsburg, Md., Wharton coach Tommy Tonelli said.

Owens (6-foot-5) was Wharton’s second leading scorer with 16.3 points per game last season. In his final year, Owens helped the Wildcats finish 23-6 with a trip to the state’s elite eight round, where they lost to Orlando Dr. Phillips in the Class 6A region final.

Owens took an official visit earlier this month. He signed on Monday.

“This was a better spot for me,” said Owens, who was going to attend Faith Baptist prep school in the fall. “It’s a small town so everybody knows everybody.”

Owens could see time as a true freshman.

“They expect me to make a big impact,” he said.

Tonelli said a former coach at Jacksonville University, who recruited Owens, was hired at Mount St. Mary’s and told the head coach to recruit Owens once a scholarship became available.

“He can do a lot of things guys his size can’t do,” Tonelli said.

Mount St. Mary’s plays out of the Northeast Conference and last made the NCAA tournament in 2008.

“(Playing in the NCAA tournament) would be a dream come true,” Owens said. “I’ve been dreaming about that since I started playing basketball.”

He leaves for Maryland on Friday.

“I’m already behind,” he said.