By Nicholas Huenefeld/Owens Sports Information

Lima, Ohio---Owens Community College head men's basketball coach Dave Clarke has added two more integral pieces to next year's team with the signings of Lima Senior products Marquavious Wilson and Rico Stafford.

Both student-athletes were members of the 2016 Ohio Division I state runner-up Lima Spartans team that finished 29-1, and they will join another Lima graduate, Essence Cowan, who signed with the Owens women's basketball team earlier this spring.

"Both Marquavious and Rico come from a winning program at Lima Senior," Clarke said. "Both competed in a state title game and have been coaches extremely well by Coach Simpson. We expect both of them to compete right away because of their pedigree and toughness."

Wilson, a 6'3" guard who started the second half of his junior year and led the team to a regional final appearance, averaged 10.4 points per game as a senior. He produced seven points, seven rebounds and six assists in his team's state semifinal win. Following the season, he was named First Team All-Three Rivers Athletic Conference (TRAC), Second Team All-Northwest District and Honorable Mention All-Ohio.

"I liked them from the start," Wilson told WLIO Lima in response to why he chose Owens. "I went down for a visit and played in an open gym with a couple of (returning players), and I feel like it's going to be a great fit for both of us."

Stafford, meanwhile, is a 6'5" forward who poured in 23 points in the team's regional championship win, as well as 11 points in the state semifinal game. He averaged 8.8 points per game before earning Honorable Mention All-TRAC recognition and a spot on the Lima News Dream Team.

The signings of Wilson and Stafford double next year's recruiting class, which already included 6'8" forward Luke Mayer from Hilliard Davidson in Hilliard, Ohio and 6'5" wing Jalen Huff from Dwyer High School in West Palm Beach, Fla. Huff is transferring in from NAIA Indiana Tech University.

Notes

The Owens men's basketball program has sent 20 players to four-year schools in the past five seasons, including the two most recent signees Xavier Cochran (NCAA Division I University of Albany) and Dilyn Good (NCAA Division II Walsh University).

The program began in 1966-67 and will compete in its 46th season next year. They have won over 950 games since then en route to 12 conference championships, eight Region XII championships and two national championships.

Over the past five years, head coach Dave Clarke has led Owens to a 118-44 record, including a 51-13 mark in OCCAC play. He has also guided the program to a pair of OCCAC championships, one Region XII championship and one NJCAA Final Four appearance.