A Battle of North and South in the Dakotas
Casey Owens begins head coaching career in Bismarck; Dave Joerger takes over in Sioux Falls.

When the Sioux Falls Skyforce and Dakota Wizards open the season at the Bismarck Civic Center, the teams' two coaches will face off against each other for the first time.

However, that does not mean they don't know each other.

Dave Joerger led the Wizards to two CBA Titles over the past three seasons with the help of assistant coach Casey Owens.

Now Owens takes the reins of the Wizards, as Joerger has changed locations to Sioux Falls with the hopes of returning a winning attitude to the Skyforce.

Stating that it was the right time, and the right opportunity, for him to leave Bismarck, Joerger is now the 11th coach in franchise history as he leads the Skyforce into its 16th season in the CBA.

That departure paved the way for Owens to receive his first head-coaching position.

"I am extremely excited with the challenge to have my own squad and be able to make those mistakes, and also take credit for the success," stated Owens. "It is a huge challenge to try to put this thing together with my name attached to it."

Not only is it challenging to have the team's future riding on his shoulders, but it is also an educational process in which Owens is learning his new role as a head coach.

"As an assistant coach, you are used to being the buffer between the head coach and the players, and now it is the other way around," remarked Owens. "So that takes some adjusting to know that all these losses go on your head now. That is never easy to get over."

Over the past three seasons, in his role as the Assistant Coach and Director of Player Personnel under Joerger, Owens was instrumental in signing players like Oliver Miller, 2001-02 MVP Miles Simon, and 2002-03 MVP Andy Panko.

Now as the Wizards head coach, he has again signed Miller, along with forward Dickey Simpkins, and Chris Porter, Billy Keys, Chad Prewitt and Melvin Sanders. Porter, Keys, Prewitt and Sanders all played on last season's championship team.

"We feel fortunate to get any of those guys back who are part of a championship team, because you already have some established chemistry," said Owens. "Guys understand what we have done in our system, so I am very excited about having some returners back."

Keys, Sanders, Prewitt and Porter all bring some of last season's experience with them, while Miller adds 493 games of NBA experience to the team, including 48 games with the Minnesota Timberwolves last season after receiving a CBA-to-NBA call-up.

Nevertheless, it is Simpkins that stands out as the guy that Owens will look to lead the Wizards this season.

"Somebody once told me, that in college the teams take on the personality of the coach, and in the pros they take on the personality of your best player," added Owens. "In this case, with Dickey Simpkins, our guys are already looking to him. He came in and surprised me; he is in the best shape of anybody. The guy is a machine, he is a pro, he gets it, and he does not big-time anybody here. He is extremely focused on achieving a personal goal, and at the same time, he truly understands how to win. He has been a part of three NBA championship teams and was part of the historic 72-10 Chicago Bulls team, so he gets it, and guys look to him.

"Right now he is our clear cut leader."

 

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