Skouson Harker
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Skouson Harker (born 1977) is a Canadian former professional basketball player of the FIBA European Leagues. Harker is from Raymond, Alberta, Canada. After five seasons as a Head Coach in the British Basketball League, Harker most recently coached the Edmonton Energy of the International Basketball League.[1]
Raymond High School
Harker led the
Raymond, population 3,674, has a long history in athletics and a reputation of winning versus Alberta's largest schools from Calgary and Edmonton. This reputation includes producing players like Harker.[2]
NCAA
Harker attended the
An injury sustained by Harker during a 92-63 win versus
Professional career
Birmingham Bullets
After playing two season's in US minor leagues NABL and IBA and one in Germany, Harker signed 2-year contract to play for the Birmingham Bullets of the British Basketball League. http://www.bbl.org.uk
During his second season with the Bullets Harker averaged just under 19 points and 7.9 rebounds, with his 668 points good for 6th in the league, and finished 9th in rebounding. He also added 3.1 assists per game, which ranked in the BBL's top 15.
During the 2005-2006 season while playing for the Bullets during a match with Newcastle Eagles, Harker and Eagles player/head coach Fabulous Flournoy became involved in an on-court fight in which Fabulous swung from behind punching Harker in the head, which resumed in the locker rooms post-game.[4]
Both Harker and Flournoy were banned one (Harker) and five (Flournoy) games. Flournoy's ban was later reduced to three games. Police were informed about the incident and an investigation into Flournoy took place.[5]
During the summers of 2005 and 2006 the Bullets became the first professional basketball club from Britain to tour China competing against
Worcester Wolves
He returned to the British Basketball League as the player-coach of BBL franchise Worcester Wolves in July 2007.[7][8]
After a four wins and 36 losses season in 2006/07 Harker led the club to 20 wins and 20 losses and the BBL Trophy Semi-Finals in his first season at the helm in 07/08.
The 2008/09 season saw the Wolves beat three Eurobasket.com 'European Top 100 Clubs'
Harker's list of BBL recruits includes Jeff Bonds (Birmingham 2005/06) who went on to become BBL Co-MVP in 2006/07. Prior to the 2007 season Skouson recruited BBL All-Star, Slam Dunk Champ and BBL leading scorer Anthony Paez (Worcester 2007–08). Yorick Williams also led the BBL in scoring after being recruited to play for Harker (Birmingham 2005/06). Former All-Pac-10 performer Dino Tanner of Oregon State was recruited by Harker to the Bullets. Harker also brought in former Euroleague http://www.euroleague.com assists leader and former CSKA Moscow point guard Chuck Evans to the Wolves for the 2007–08 season.
As a player Harker left the BBL with over 4000 points in all competitions scoring over 16.7 per game. He also proved a reliable rebounder with a career average of 8.9 rebounds per contest. After an injury-riddled college career, Harker never missed a professional game due to injury.
Edmonton Energy
After being an All-Star the previous two IBL seasons, Harker was named the Head Coach of the Edmonton Energy in March 2011.[11]
Harker was named International Basketball League All-Star for the second consecutive season in August 2010 after helping the Edmonton Energy and Coach Paul Sir to finishing Runner-up in the Continental Division. Harker signed for German team SC Rist Wedel in August 2010.[12]
During spring 2009 the 6'9" (205 cm) 240 lb Harker played for Coach Paul Sir and the Edmonton Energy of the International Basketball League. The Energy won the 2009 Regular Season Championship with a 17-3 record.[13]
Harker was named a 2009 IBL All-Star[14] with a well rounded 18.5 ppg and 8.3 rpg playing all 21 games.[15] The forward scored 32 points versus the Vancouver Titans, as well as 34 points versus the Oregon Wave.[16]
Controversy
Harker continued with the Worcester-based club until 2010. A week prior to his departure, both Harker and
Harker's two-year stint as Head Coach at the Wolves has been said to have saved the Wolves from relegation back down to England's 2nd Division. Additionally Harker's tenor may have put the club in a position to hire current England National Team Head Coach
Career history
- 1995-96 Utah Valley Wolverines
- 1996-98 McCook College Indians
- 1998-99 University of Oregon Ducks
- 2001-02 Frontier City River Dogz
- 2002-03 Akron Wingfoots
- 2003-04 TS Göppingen
- 2004-06 Birmingham Bullets Head Coach/player
- 2007-2010 Worcester Wolves Head Coach/player
- 2009 Edmonton Energy
- 2009-10 Worcester Wolves
- 2010 Edmonton Energy
- 2010-11 SC Rist Wedel
- 2011 Edmonton Energy Head Coach
Notes
- ^ Chris O'Leary (2009). "Alberta Native to Coach Edmonton Energy". Basketball Canada/Edmonton Journal. Archived from the original on 2011-07-06. Retrieved 2011-03-15.
- ^ Derek Van Diest (2009). "Harker On Mark". Slam Sports. Archived from the original on January 15, 2013. Retrieved 2011-02-23.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link) - ^ Go Huskies (1999). "Mens Hoop Downs Pac 10 Rivals". gohuslies.com. Archived from the original on 2010-11-16. Retrieved 2010-03-23.
- ^ "Basketball: Player-coaches await penalties for fracas". The Independent. 2005-12-19. Retrieved 2023-06-28.
- ^ Ian Whittell (2005-12-31). "Flournoy to face police over brawl". London: Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 2007-07-16.[dead link]
- ^ Solihull News (2005). "Bullets Get China Call". Solihull News. Retrieved 2010-03-23.
- ^ BBC Sport (16 July 2007). "Wolves New Coach". BBC Sport. Retrieved 2010-03-23.
- ^ BBC Sport (16 July 2007). "Wolves Director Chooses Coach". BBC Sport. Retrieved 2010-03-23.
- ^ Eurobasket.com (2009-08-03). "Eurobasket Top 100". Eurobasket.com. Retrieved 2011-03-22.
- ^ BBC Sport (2009-08-03). "Harker Happy to be Wolves Player". BBC Sport. Retrieved 2010-03-23.
- ^ Eurobasket.com (2011). "Harker named Energy Coach". Eurobasket.com. Retrieved 2011-03-15.
- ^ German Bundesliga (2010). "Skouson Harker wechselt zum SC Rist". German Bundesliga. Archived from the original on 2011-07-18. Retrieved 2010-09-23.
- ^ Worcester News (2009). "IBL Title Lifts Harker for Wolves Campaign". Worcester News. Retrieved 2010-09-23.
- ^ BBC (2009). "Worcester's Harker Claims Award". BBC. Retrieved 2011-03-15.
- ^ Canada Basketball (2009). "Alberta Player Heads Back to British League". Canada Basketball. Archived from the original on 2011-07-06. Retrieved 2010-03-23.
- ^ Derek Van Diest (2009). "Harker Effort Charges up Energy". Slam Sports. Archived from the original on July 13, 2012. Retrieved 2010-03-23.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link) - ^ BBL News (2009). "BBL Team of the Week #8". BBL. Retrieved 2010-03-23.
- ^ Michael Reeves (2009). "Wolves Torn Apart in Racism Row". Worcester News. Archived from the original on 2010-02-26. Retrieved 2010-03-23.
- ^ Michael Reeves (2009). "Pupils Ask for Sporting Gesture to Save Stars". Worcester News. Retrieved 2010-03-23.
- ^ Michael Reeves (2009). "Wolves Snap up Former England Coach". Worcester News. Retrieved 2010-03-23.