Jones today declined to comment other than to say Owens was suspended for "breaking team rules."

Owens, a fourth-year junior from Roosevelt High, said he had told assistant coach Ron Lee of his plans to remain in Las Vegas an extra day after the team’s Friday night loss to Nevada-Las Vegas. Owens said his mother booked his return flight four months ago.

"It was all a miscommunication," Owens said. "(Lee) thought I had told Coach Jones, I thought he had told Coach Jones. Nothing ever came back up to me. I thought everything was all good."

During the team’s return flight Saturday, according to Owens, Jones told the players a practice was scheduled for the next day. The Warriors usually do not practice on Sundays.

"(Jones) didn’t know (about Owens’ plans) until … Sunday’s practice," Owens said. "He went through all of the trouble of calling around to see if I had a flight back, this and that. He went out of his way to make sure I was all right. I think that’s what made him upset, that I already had booked a flight, and it was a while back."

Owens said he believed his punishment would be to run after practices this week and attend extra film sessions with Lee.

When told of the suspension before yesterday’s practice, Owens said, "I was totally surprised. I was caught off guard. It was like a side blind. I didn’t know what to say. I didn’t know what to do — whether to practice, sit around, walk off."

Owens added: "I can’t disagree with (Jones). What he said is true. But like I said, I’d never put myself in a situation where I would miss games, especially for a reason like this. … If I messed up anywhere in the situation, it’s that four months ago I booked the flight (and) before that, I should have went straight to Coach Jones and let him know."