Matt Owies is leaving the University of Hawaii basketball team to chase the opportunity to return to being a point guard.

Owies was primarily a point guard in his native Australia but was often moved to the 2-guard in his freshman season as a backup with the Rainbow Warriors.

“I really enjoyed my time here … really enjoyed the team and the environment. It just ended up that I was playing sort of out of position at the 2,” Owies told the Star-Advertiser on Thursday. “I just thought it’d be best for me to go into a situation where I’ll be played at my natural position at point guard. That was really the main thing that made me want to transfer and check out something else. It wasn’t anything to do with anything else. It was more like, playing the position that I’ve always played.”

Owies’ departure gives the ’Bows three scholarships to award.

He is the second confirmed player to exit so far, following walk-on Brian Garrett.

Owies averaged 2.6 points and 11.6 minutes a game in the 2016-17 season. He appeared in 27 of UH’s 30 games, all off the bench. His season high was 13 points at UC Irvine.

Owies said he made the decision after an end-of-the-season meeting with the coaches and consultation with his family in Melbourne.

He said he hasn’t found a new school yet but hopes to stay in the U.S. at a place that will let him return to playing point. “I’ve always just played point guard. I never really played the 2 guard, but I learned a lot playing out of the 2. That definitely helped my game. But I mean, going forward, I’m always going to be a point guard. I just wanted to go somewhere where I’m going to be trusted to run the point.”

Owies said, “I’m going to miss being around a great bunch of boys (on the team), who just have each other’s back and … the fans. I had a positive experience here. I just think it’s best for my basketball career if I go somewhere else.”