May 2, 2008
Choo heading down the tracks to San Jose
The NCAA might have Robert (Choo) Owens in mind when it moves three-point line back a foot next season but the outside sharpshooter from City College of San Francisco and formerly Skyline High is ready for the challenge now that he is a member of the San Jose State Spartans.
Owens should feel right at home with the Spartans
The NCAA is moving the three-point line back a foot next season from 19 feet, nine inches to 20 feet, nine inches, thereby increasing the difficulty. This might have come about because the powers-that-be had the likes of Robert (Choo) Owens in mind but we’ll never know. However, the outside sharpshooter from City College of San Francisco and formerly Skyline High is ready for the challenge now that he is a member of the San Jose State basketball team.
Owens has just signed a letter-of-intent to play for Coach George Nessman, adding additional firepower to the Spartan backcourt by joining forces with Justin Graham, Adrian Oliver and Mac Peterson.
When asked why he chose SJSU, Owens replied, "It’s a program on the rise with the players there now and I want to contribute in taking it to the next level. We want to get a lot of things done."
There were other schools involved in his recruitment -- Kentucky being a prominent mention in recruiting circles -- but "San Jose State was the best for me and my family," he added.
Being a Skyline (Oakland) High alumnus, Owens is familiar with many of the current Spartans, having played with and against many of them. "I’m especially close with Tim Pierce," he said. Owens’ club team was Shakur Village, a branch of the Oakland Soldiers organization.
Owens was selected as a first-team California Community College All-State member this season after averaging 16.7 points a game, with a high of 32. In 30 contests, he nailed 80 three-pointers and put down 101 free throws. This on a team that used 6-foot-6 Brandon Wiley (headed to Idaho) as its nominal center and had four players in the top 10 in scoring in the Coast Conference North Division. But he’s not a one trick pony as his 3.5 rebounds and 3.3 assists a game attests.
To provide an example of his athletic ability, Owens won the slam dunk contest in the East Bay All-Star Basketball Classic in 2006 while at Skyline High. He was a second team Chronicle All-Metro boys selection in 2005-06.
When asked about his on-court strengths, Owens replied "my outside-shooting." Continuing on, he said, "I’m known as a shooter but I want to be known as an all-around player so I’ve been doing dribbling drills and also working on improving defensively."
Besides his long-range prowess, Owens also possesses dribble-drive proficiency and the ability to finish at the hoop.
He’s expecting to earn his degree from CCSF in May and right now is looking at criminology as a major at SJSU.
About the nickname "Choo," it stems from his early childhood. He received a toy train for his initial Christmas, thereby becoming "Choo-choo" to his family. It stuck although eventually "Choo" was enough.
Owens humbly expressed gratitude to a litany of people for aiding him in getting to where he is today. "I want to thank my father, my mother who is the strongest and toughest person I know, my brother Raheem, the City College of San Francisco coaching staff and the San Jose State coaching staff for all they have done for me."
Owens’ mother is battling breast cancer, is currently in treatment and doing okay, providing inspiration to her family.