The boys’ basketball team has gained two new transfers this year for this season, Braylon Owens and Charlie Hildebrandt. Each one brings something to the team, but Owens stands out as a frequent starter for the Eagles.  

Owens, a junior transfer from Grand Island, has become an Eagle this year with just one season ahead of him. Owens is a 6-foot, 4-inch, 175-pound forward. Having played few games, Owens averages six points and three rebounds per game. He is described by his coach, Bruce Chubick, as a Swiss army pocketknife, bringing a little bit of everything to the table.  

Owens decided to come to Central because his dad was from Omaha, and his brother also transferred in, feeling like it was a good place for him, so he followed in his brothers’ footsteps.  

“When I first came down here, it felt like I was family, like I should have been here,” Owens said.  

He likes the crowd and environment of Central, which he had experienced when he faced them in a game his freshman year. Owens looks forward to continuing gaining confidence and seeing his stats go up from the end of this season to the end of his high school playing career, and he wants to end his senior year on a good note along with a couple of college offers.  

Owens has found a way to feel a sense of belonging here, and the team has prioritized making him feel like family. He bonds well with the team and has had a couple of senior role models. The team has done nothing but embraced him.  

Ike Ackerman, a senior forward, has made Owens feel welcome. He has been a great role model, and most importantly a friend to him, on and off the court. “Ever since I’ve moved down here, Ike’s kind of just been like my role model, and somehow looked up to him,” Owens said.  

Ackerman says he just needs to be confident and keep playing how he has been playing. 

Chubick said Owens can rebound, pass, shoot, defend and gets to the basket well, and can also dribble well. “He brings a lot of the stuff that we need,” Chubick said.  

He described Owens as very unselfish, leading to a stronger team. Owens is very motivated to succeed as well. He performs very well at practice, and the team are the only ones who have seen how he has been playing, which will soon transition very well into their games.  

“His best days are ahead of him; I think he’s only starting to scratch the surface of what he could become,” Chubick said.