Winning Warhorses push streak to three games
Owen basketball heats up in conference play
Fred McCormick
The Valley Echo
January 20, 2024
Junior Asante Martin, who leads Owen with 20.6 points per game, has turned in double-digit scoring performances in 11 of his team’s 13 games this season. The point guard scored a career-high 38 against Avery, Jan. 18, as the Warhorses extended their winning streak to three games. Photo by Fred McCormick
A bus trip up the mountain to Avery County, Jan. 18, ended with a 75-69 victory, extending a Warhorse winning streak to three games.
Owen improved to 4-9, and 3-3 in the Western Highlands Conference, with a 28-point performance by sophomore Asante Martin, a double-double from senior Daxon Mason and a renewed defensive intensity.
The Warhorses opened the 2023-24 campaign dropping nine of their 10 first games, despite 20.1 points per game from Martin, who scored a career high 38 points against Mitchell in December. Junior Jack Wesley Burk, averaging 12. 6 points per contest, has been another reliable scoring option for the team, which relies heavily on a young core players, according to second-year head coach Joe Valencia.
The early season was a study in team basketball for the players and coaching staff, which includes Pete Ledford and former Warlassies’ point guard and the head coach’s daughter, Ashley.
“We lost a lot of players from last year’s team, and a lot of these guys are green, with some coming from junior varsity and others who have varsity experience but not a lot of minutes,” Valencia said.
The leadership of Martin, a “true pass-first point guard with the ability to score,” has offered stability as the Warhorses developed chemistry on the court, according to the coach.
Senior center Daxon Mason leads the Warhorses in rebounding this season, and notched his second double-double of the campaign against Avery on Jan. 18. Photo by Fred McCormick
“Asante is a great overall leader, and he doesn’t yell or even talk a lot, he leads by example,” Valencia said. “He knows when to turn it up and when to get his teammates involved, and they’re all learning how to complement each other in the system.”
Despite a slow start, Owen opened conference play in mid-December with competitive losses to Draughn, Mitchell and Mountain Heritage, but the pieces were beginning to come together. The Warhorses notched their second win of the season, Jan. 11, in a 79-40 home victory over Rosman. They followed that up the next night, outlasting the N.C. School of Science and Math-Morganton, 63-61.
“This is a resilient group of kids, and they give it their all,” Valencia said. “So as they became accustomed to playing increased minutes and started figuring out how to play together, you could see they were ready to compete in the conference.”
While Mason’s 12 points and 12 rebounds against the Vikings helped secure Owen’s third straight win, a 17-point performance from fellow senior Aidan Warnock provided the team an extra offensive push. Both players have emerged as vital contributors throughout the season.
Owen junior Jack Wesley Burk is establishing himself as a consistent offensive threat this season, as the forward has recorded 10 or more points in seven of the Warhorses’ past eight games. Photo by Fred McCormick
“Daxon hasn’t even scratched the surface of his potential, in fact this is only his second season of basketball,” Valencia said. “Every time he’s out there you can see the improvement.
“I’ve watched Aidan play since he was a freshman, and he’s always had all the pieces, it’s just a matter of putting them together,” the coach continued. “His performance against Avery was phenomenal, because not only did he score 17, but he also pulled down 8 rebounds.”
The defensive effort of Burk, who has scored in double digits in each of his last five games, including a season-high 27 against Rosman, is a crucial piece of the offense, has been a key in the recent success of the Warhorses.
Senior Aidan Warnock scored a season-high 17 points against Avery, Jan. 18, as the Warhorses won their third straight contest. Photo by Fred McCormick
“These past three games he has really brought the energy on that end of the floor,” Valencia said. “I really believe that is making a difference in the win column because he’s out there disrupting other teams and that’s inspiring his teammates to do the same.”
Offensive reinforcements are arriving at an opportune time for Owen, as junior guard Eli Lewkowicz returned to the court against Avery after missing two games with an injury. The return of the Warhorses’ third-leading scorer brings another reliable contributor, midway through the WHC schedule.
Owen will travel to Draughn, Tuesday, Jan. 23, before getting back on the road to face Mitchell, Friday, Jan. 26. The Warhorses return to their home court at 8:30 p.m., Tuesday, Jan. 30, to host Mountain Heritage.
“Draughn and Mitchell aren’t easy places to win, but it helps that we’ve established momentum going into these games,” Valencia said. “If we want to keep winning, we have to keep doing what we’re doing on the defensive side of the court. If we show up and play defense we can compete with anyone in the conference.”