By Wes Kerr
LowcoSports.com
Even when the odds were at their lowest, Ryle Owens bet on himself. His hard work has paid off again with a second professional contract.
One year after signing with TSU Tbilisi in the Georgian Superleague, Owens has inked a contract to play with KK Pelister and departs this week for training camp in North Macedonia.
Owens’ pro debut was a successful one overseas, quickly becoming a key producer for his new club in Georgia. He averaged 13.3 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 2.2 assists while shooting a cool 40 percent from 3-point range. His terrific start earned him a spot on the league’s all-star team.
Owens put on a show with the high-flying skills he developed right here in the Lowcountry, taking the all-star dunk contest crown. He made a name for himself overseas with his exceptional shooting and hustle on the court and is headed to his next stop of a thrilling hoops tour around the world — one that started in Port Royal.
It’s a basketball journey that has pushed Owens at every step. And every time, he’s answered the challenge. After riding the bench for much of his career at Beaufort High, Owens kept grinding when other peers did not. Despite suffering a knee injury during his senior year, Owens never turned away from his dreams. He made the most of every opportunity he was given, from USC Salkehatchie to Young Harris College, where he refined his shooting stroke and grew every aspect of his game.
Even as the COVID-19 pandemic limited his playing opportunities after college ended, Owens worked with Nick Field at Beaufort Academy and trained with Seabrook’s Casser Middleton to find ways to get better and stronger every day. When it seemed that the road to his dreams were closing, Owens found another path. And after a wildly successful first season, there’s no betting against him now.
“Never rush God’s timing, because when your time comes you’ll be fully equipped and prepared,” Owens preaches.
He was just a young man from Port Royal with a dream he refused to let slip away. And now, he’s touring the world, meeting new people, and playing the game he loves. And if he keeps up that unbeatable determination, there’s no limit to how far he could go.
Wes Kerr is a graduate of Hilton Head Island High School and Davidson College. He writes and hosts podcasts for LowcoSports and contributes to other outlets, including PrepRedZone.
