Blue Knights 10–4 as of December 16, 2019
The Dakota County Technical College men’s basketball team is 10–4 as of December 16, 2019. The Blue Knights are averaging 85.5 points, 41.5 rebounds and 18.4 assists per game. Harlyn Owens, sophomore guard, is averaging a team-leading 24.8 points per game. Freshman forward, Piontek Young, is averaging a team-leading 6.8 rebounds per game.
DCTC hosted the Iowa Lakes Community College Lakers (11–3) Saturday afternoon, December 14, losing 60–78. The team’s next home game is Friday, January 3, 2020, vs the Anoka-Ramsey Community College Rams (5–3) at the DCTC Classic. The Blue Knights lost to the Rams 70–82 December 10, 2019. The rematch will be played at 6 p.m. in the Activities Building Gym on the campus of Inver Hills Community College in Inver Grove Heights, Minnesota.
DCTC vs Iowa Lakes game gallery
View more game photos in the DCTC Flickr album:
Blue Knights Basketball vs Iowa Lakes
Player Spotlights: Starting Five
Harlyn Owens II
- #2
- Sophomore Guard
- Age: 22
- Height: 6’3
- Weight: 193
- Hometown: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
- St. Vincent Pallotti High School Class of 2016
Harlyn grew up in Penn Hills, Pennsylvania, a municipality near Pittsburgh. He moved with his family to Laurel, Maryland, at age 16 and graduated from St. Vincent Pallotti High School, where he played basketball for the Panthers, earning all-conference honors as a guard.
As a freshman with the Blue Knights, Harlyn was selected to the 2018 NABC Coaches’ NJCAA Division II First Team All-America Team. He finished fourth in the nation in scoring with 734 points, averaging 22.2 points per game, ranking him eighth nationwide. He was also named NJCAA Region 13 MVP and was selected to the All-Region Team.
Harlyn is earning an Associate of Science (A.S.) in Individualized Studies at DCTC. He is a certified personal trainer and his long-range academic goals are centered on transferring to a four-year university to study sports management while playing NCAA DI basketball. Harlyn’s career plans include playing professional basketball either in the NBA or overseas. He inspired by the success of his friend, Markelle Fultz, a point guard for the Orlando Magic. Beyond basketball, he would like to be physical therapist and skills trainer focused on player development.
When he’s not studying or playing basketball, Harlyn likes spending time with his girlfriend, Jazlyn, a student at Minnesota State Mankato. Harlyn resides in Burnsville.
Three words that describe you as a basketball player:
FIERCE. COMPETITIVE. DEDICATED.
Harlyn Owens II • Seven answers
- Favorite NBA player: Kobe Bryant
- Person you would most like to meet: Kobe Bryant
- Sport you like best after basketball: Football
- Best movie you’ve seen lately: Queen & Slim
- Place you would most like to visit: The Bahamas
- Skill you would most like to learn and master: Dunking off one foot
- Most important issue of problem facing humankind: Police brutality
Harlyn Owens: Iowa Lakes game gallery
Dashawn Walker
- #13
- Sophomore Forward
- Age: 19
- Height: 6’6
- Weight: 185
- Hometown: Harkers Heights, Texas
- Harkers Heights High School Class of 2018
Dashawn is majoring in Individualized Studies at DCTC. He is looking forward to transferring to a four-year school in Texas where he would play NCAA basketball and study kinesiology. He would like to play basketball professionally and is considering leagues overseas. He is centering his career goals beyond basketball on becoming a personal trainer.
Dashawn has four siblings, Samirah, 15, Shavar, 14, Dion, 12, and Nevaeh, 10. In his free time, he enjoys playing videogames, including NBA2K and Fortnite. Dashawn resides in Inver Grove Heights.
Three words that describe you as a basketball player:
HARDWORKING. AGGRESSIVE. SELFLESS.
Dashawn Walker • Seven answers
- Favorite NBA player: James Harden
- Person you would most like to meet: G Herbo
- Sport you like best after basketball: Football
- Best TV show you’re watching now: Limitless
- Place you would most like to visit: Dubai
- Skill you would most like to learn and master: TBD
- Most important issue of problem facing humankind: Attitude
Dashawn Walker: Iowa Lakes game gallery
Lorenzo Smith
- #5
- Sophomore Guard
- Age: 19
- Height: 6’0
- Weight:
- Hometown: St. Paul, Minnesota
- Minnehaha Academy Year Class of 2018
Lorenzo is earning an A.S. in Individualized Studies at DCTC. He is focused on completing his generals and transferring to a four-year college to play NCAA basketball. He is open to playing professional basketball in an overseas league. He definitely wants to have a career related to athletics and plans on studying sports management at his transfer school.
Lorenzo has four siblings, Andre, 21, studying sports management at Pacific University, Deja, 19, an artist, Elijah, 15, plays football, and Sienna, age 5. He works while going to college, covering events at Xcel Energy Center. In his free time, he likes doing weight training at Planet Fitness and hanging out with friends. Lorenzo resides in St. Paul.
Three words that describe you as a basketball player:
QUICK. COMPETITIVE. FEARLESS.
Lorenzo Smith • Seven answers
- Favorite NBA player: Kevin Durant
- Person you would most like to meet: Steph Curry
- Sport you like best after basketball: Football
- Best movie you’ve seen lately: Avengers: Endgame
- Place you would most like to visit: The Bahamas
- Skill you would most like to learn and master: Professional actor
- Most important issue of problem facing humankind: Climate change
Lorenzo Smith: Iowa Lakes game gallery
Daevonte Munson
- #10
- Sophomore Guard
- Age: 19
- Height: 6’2
- Weight: 170
- Hometown: Roseville, Minnesota
- Roseville High School Class of 2018
Daevonte is earning his Associate of Applied Science (A.A.S.) in Sports Management at DCTC with plans to graduate spring 2020. He likes having athletes from other sports teams at the college, including fastpitch softball, volleyball, baseball and women and men’s soccer, in the program. He is on track to transfer to a four-year to play NCAA or NAIA basketball while earning a bachelor’s degree in sports management. He wants to play basketball for as long as he can and then coach at the high school or college level.
Daevonte has three younger siblings, Jason, 5, Bella, 5, and Bailey, 2. In his free time, he likes playing NBA2K and Fortnite with his teammates. Daevonte lives in Roseville.
Three words that describe you as a basketball player:
DEDICATED. MOTIVATED. ENERGETIC.
Daevonte Munson • Seven answers
- Favorite NBA player: Giannis Antetokounmpo
- Person you would most like to meet: LeBron James
- Sport you like best after basketball: Football
- Best movie you’ve seen lately: Avengers: Endgame
- Place you would most like to visit: Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- Skill you would most like to learn and master: R & B singer
- Most important issue of problem facing humankind: Waste management
Daevonte Munson: Iowa Lakes game gallery
Amitri Collins-Westlund
- #11
- Sophomore Guard
- Age: 20
- Height: 6’2
- Weight: 180
- Hometown: St. Paul, Minnesota
- Highland Park High School Class of 2017
Amitri is majoring in Individualized Studies at DCTC. He likes the flexibility of the program and how his coursework is preparing him for transfer to a four-year college or university. His goal is to earn a bachelor’s degree in psychology and go on to a career in coaching. Amitri chose that career path because of the potential to be an influential leader and have a positive impact on others.
Amitri has one brother, Kwashon, 22, an outside linebacker on the UWRF football team, and one sister, Mila, age 4. In his free time, he likes watching all kinds of sports; he also plays Madden NFL. Amitri resides in St. Paul.
Three words that describe you as a basketball player:
SMART. RELIABLE. SAVVY.
Amitri Collins-Westlund • Seven answers
- Favorite NBA player: Damian Lillard
- Person you would most like to meet: Will Smith
- Sport you like best after basketball: Football
- Best movie you’ve seen lately: Antwone Fisher
- Place you would most like to visit: The Bahamas
- Skill you would most like to learn and master: Math
- Most important issue of problem facing humankind: Ignorance
Amitri Collins-Westlund: Iowa Lakes game gallery
Learn more about NJCAA athletics at DCTC by visiting GoBlueKnights.com.
Learn more about NJCAA DII basketball at DCTC by contacting:
Peter Olafeso
Interim Head Basketball Coach
651-423-8675