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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 Comets to three straight Alberta Schools Athletic Association 4A (unlimited enrollment) Provincial Silver Medals (1993–1995), including a controversial 1995 4A final game versus Lester B. Pearson High School, in which one referee counted the winning basket, and the other waved it off. CTV Calgary and Sports @ 11 Highlights concluded the ball was on the backboard before the buzzer sounded. The correct call would have given the Comets their first provincial crown since Richard Bohne led the Comets to the 1989 title.

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 University of Oregon. The Pac-10 featured 25 future NBA players in the 1999 season, including standouts Baron Davis, Matt Barnes, Jason Terry, Richard Jefferson, Mark Madsen, Brian Scalabrine, Eddie House, Todd MacCulloch and Oregon Ducks teammate and Harkers college roommate, Fred Jones. Harker played for Ducks head coach Ernie Kent, and assistant coaches Greg Graham (former Boise State University head coach) and Don Newman (present San Antonio Spurs assistant coach). The Ducks ended the 1999 regular season with a 40 RPI but were left out the NCAA Tournament due to finishing fifth behind four nationally ranked Pac-10 teams; Stanford, Arizona, UCLA, and Washington. As a result, the Ducks advanced to the National Invitational Tournament Final Four.

An injury sustained by Harker during a 92-63 win versus Brigham Young University six games into the season limited his productivity, and forced him from being sixth man and potential starter into a reserve role. Harker chose to play and help the team as he was not made aware by the coaching staff that an NCAA Medical Red Shirt would have saved his eligibility and season. Harker managed 15 points versus St. Martins and was named Player of the Game, and 10 points versus Washington State Cougars, six points and a team high eight rebounds versus^[3] University of Washington Huskies in what proved to be his best Pacific-10 conference weekend.

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 Chinese Basketball Association clubs during the 'UK/China Basketball Friendship Tour'.^[6] Over the two summers Harker led the Bullets to 13 wins and 11 losses. Harker scored a professional career high of 44 points versus the Shandong Lions in 2006. Harker left Birmingham prior to the 2006 season after the franchise was forced into liquidation- after a two year arena rental dispute with the City of Birmingham. After a strong season and summer the Canadian Senior Men's National Team invited Harker to their training camp.

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'^[9](Newcastle Eagles, Everton Tigers, and Scottish Rocks). The 2008/09 season was the first season ever to see three BBL clubs in the Eurobasket Top 100, with Newcastle and Everton both in the top 75 at one stage. The Wolves fell out of the playoff race after losing former NCAA assists leader William Funn (Portland State) and the BBL assists leader at the time, for the season as the club was in a playoff position. Following a very successful two-year stint as the Wolves head coach-player, in which Harker averaged 16 points and 8 rebounds, he opted to return to the club as strictly a professional player for the 2009/10 season.^[10]

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 Evaldas Zabas were named to the BBL Team of the Week.^[17] A week later Head Coach Chuck Evans' racist rant during a film session forced six Wolves players to refuse to play for the coach, as the club wanted to keep the 'incident quite' and not fire the coach. Coach Evans' resigned. Numerous teachers and fans wrote in to the Worcester News to show their support for their fired Wolves players, making it the Worcester News' most commented story within 2009.^[18] The community of Worcester schools, both pupils and teachers, as well as many concerned fans and citizens wrote to the newspaper and rallied around the six sacked players; all to no avail as the Wolves Owner Roger Clarke refused to let the players back on the team, even after the coach had resigned.^[19]

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 Paul James, as well a move forward with the new Worcester Arena. Without the conviction and principle of which the sacked Wolves players demonstrated, the club would have never been in a position to hire Coach James.^[20]

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.

[1] 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.

[2] 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)

[3] Go Huskies (1999). "Mens Hoop Downs Pac 10 Rivals". gohuslies.com. Archived from the original on 2010-11-16. Retrieved 2010-03-23.

[4] "Basketball: Player-coaches await penalties for fracas". The Independent. 2005-12-19. Retrieved 2023-06-28.

[5] Ian Whittell (2005-12-31). "Flournoy to face police over brawl". London: Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 2007-07-16.^{[dead link‍]}

[6] Solihull News (2005). "Bullets Get China Call". Solihull News. Retrieved 2010-03-23.

[7] BBC Sport (16 July 2007). "Wolves New Coach". BBC Sport. Retrieved 2010-03-23.

[8] BBC Sport (16 July 2007). "Wolves Director Chooses Coach". BBC Sport. Retrieved 2010-03-23.

[9] Eurobasket.com (2009-08-03). "Eurobasket Top 100". Eurobasket.com. Retrieved 2011-03-22.

[10] BBC Sport (2009-08-03). "Harker Happy to be Wolves Player". BBC Sport. Retrieved 2010-03-23.

[11] Eurobasket.com (2011). "Harker named Energy Coach". Eurobasket.com. Retrieved 2011-03-15.

[12] German Bundesliga (2010). "Skouson Harker wechselt zum SC Rist". German Bundesliga. Archived from the original on 2011-07-18. Retrieved 2010-09-23.

[13] Worcester News (2009). "IBL Title Lifts Harker for Wolves Campaign". Worcester News. Retrieved 2010-09-23.

[14] BBC (2009). "Worcester's Harker Claims Award". BBC. Retrieved 2011-03-15.

[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.

[16] 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)

[17] BBL News (2009). "BBL Team of the Week #8". BBL. Retrieved 2010-03-23.

[18] Michael Reeves (2009). "Wolves Torn Apart in Racism Row". Worcester News. Archived from the original on 2010-02-26. Retrieved 2010-03-23.

[19] Michael Reeves (2009). "Pupils Ask for Sporting Gesture to Save Stars". Worcester News. Retrieved 2010-03-23.

[20] Michael Reeves (2009). "Wolves Snap up Former England Coach". Worcester News. Retrieved 2010-03-23.

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+{{Short description|Canadian basketball player}}
-[[Image:Replace this image male.svg|right]]
+{{BLP sources|date=January 2010}}
-'''Skouson Harker''' (born [[February 16]], [[1977]] in [[Raymond, Alberta|Raymond]], [[Alberta]], [[Canada]]) is a [[Canada|Canadian]] professional [[basketball]] player for the Worcester Wolves [[British Basketball League]] club [[Worcester Wolves]].  ''Most recently the 6'8'' 240lb Harker playerd for the Edmonton Energy of the IBL.  The Energy won the 2009 Regular Season Championship witha 17-3 record.  Harker was named an 2009 IBL All-Star with a well rounded 18.1 ppg and 8.5 rpg playing all 21 games.  Harker shot a career hihg 40% from 3 point field goals''''Italic text''The [[Power forward (basketball)|power forward]]/[[small forward]] attended [[The University of Oregon]], where he played for the Ducks and Head Coach Ernie Kent, and Assistant Coaches Greg Graham, and Don Newman (Now San Antonio Spurs Assistant) before playing professionally with Frontier City River Dogz (Midwestern Basketball Association), Arkon Wingfoots of Las Vegas (North American Basketball League), Göppingen (Germany) and [[Birmingham Bullets]] (British Basketball League)and now the Worcester Wolves.
-During the [[British Basketball League 2005-06|2005-06 season]], while playing for the Bullets during a match with [[Newcastle Eagles]], Harker and Eagles player/coach [[Fabulous Flournoy]] became involved in an on-court fight, which resumed in the locker rooms post-game. Police were informed about the incident and an investigation into Flournoy took place <ref>{{cite web| author = Ian Whittell | title = Flournoy to face police over brawl | url = http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/main.jhtml?view=DETAILS&grid=&xml=/sport/2005/12/31/sobask31.xml | year = 2005 | accessdate = 2007-07-16 | publisher = Daily Telegraph}} </ref>.
-Harker left Birmingham in 2006 after the franchise was forced into [[liquidation]] and following a season's break from the game, he returned to [[England]] as the player/coach of BBL franchise [[Worcester Wolves]] in July 2007.
+[[File:Skouson Harker, Worcester Wolves BBL.jpg|thumb|Skouson Harker competing in the British Basketball League]]
-After a four win season in 2006/07 Harker led the club to 19 total wins and the BBL Trophy Semi-Finals in his first season at the helm in 07/08.
+'''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]].<ref>{{cite web | author = Chris O'Leary | title = Alberta Native to Coach Edmonton Energy | url = http://www.basketball.ca/en/hm/inside.php?sid=1&id=4894 | year = 2009 | access-date = 2011-03-15 | publisher = Basketball Canada/Edmonton Journal | url-status = dead | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110706165119/http://www.basketball.ca/en/hm/inside.php?sid=1&id=4894 | archive-date = 2011-07-06 }}</ref>
-Harker's list of BBL recruits include Jeff Bonds (Birmingham 2005/06) who went on to become BBL Co-MVP in 2006/07.  This past 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 whilst playing for Harker (Birmingham 2005/06).  Harker also brought in four time Euroleague point guard Chuck Evans to the Wolves.
+==Raymond High School==
+Harker led the [[Raymond Comets]] to three straight [[Alberta Schools Athletic Association]] 4A (unlimited enrollment) Provincial Silver Medals (1993–1995), including a controversial 1995 4A final game versus [[Lester B. Pearson High School (Calgary)|Lester B. Pearson High School]], in which one referee counted the winning basket, and the other waved it off. CTV Calgary and Sports @ 11 Highlights concluded the ball was on the backboard before the buzzer sounded. The correct call would have given the Comets their first provincial crown since [[Richard Bohne]] led the Comets to the 1989 title.
+[[Raymond, Alberta|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.<ref>{{cite web| author = Derek Van Diest | title = Harker On Mark | url = http://slam.canoe.ca/Slam/Columnists/VanDiest/2009/05/10/9413586-sun.html
+| archive-url = https://archive.today/20130115094307/http://slam.canoe.ca/Slam/Columnists/VanDiest/2009/05/10/9413586-sun.html
+| url-status = usurped
+| archive-date = January 15, 2013
+| year = 2009 | accessdate = 2011-02-23 | publisher = Slam Sports}}</ref>
+==NCAA==
+Harker attended the [[University of Oregon]]. The [[Pac-10]] featured 25 future NBA players in the 1999 season, including standouts [[Baron Davis]], [[Matt Barnes]], [[Jason Terry]], [[Richard Jefferson]], [[Mark Madsen (basketball)|Mark Madsen]], [[Brian Scalabrine]], [[Eddie House]], [[Todd MacCulloch]] and [[Oregon Ducks]] teammate and Harkers college roommate, [[Fred Jones (basketball)|Fred Jones]].  Harker played for Ducks head coach [[Ernie Kent]], and assistant coaches Greg Graham (former [[Boise State University]] head coach) and Don Newman (present [[San Antonio Spurs]] assistant coach).  The Ducks ended the 1999 regular season with a 40 RPI but were left out the NCAA Tournament due to finishing fifth behind four nationally ranked Pac-10 teams; Stanford, Arizona, UCLA, and Washington.  As a result, the Ducks advanced to the [[National Invitational Tournament]] Final Four.
+An injury sustained by Harker during a 92-63 win versus [[Brigham Young University]] six games into the season limited his productivity, and forced him from being sixth man and potential starter into a reserve role.  Harker chose to play and help the team as he was not made aware by the coaching staff that an NCAA Medical Red Shirt would have saved his eligibility and season. Harker managed 15 points versus St. Martins and was named Player of the Game, and 10 points versus [[Washington State Cougars]], six points and a team high eight rebounds versus<ref>{{cite web | author = Go Huskies | title = Mens Hoop Downs Pac 10 Rivals | url = http://www.gohuskies.com/sports/m-baskbl/recaps/011799aaa.html | year = 1999 | access-date = 2010-03-23 | publisher = gohuslies.com | url-status = dead | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20101116230417/http://www.gohuskies.com/sports/m-baskbl/recaps/011799aaa.html | archive-date = 2010-11-16 }}</ref> [[University of Washington Huskies]] in what proved to be his best [[Pacific-10]] conference weekend.
+==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.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2005-12-19 |title=Basketball: Player-coaches await penalties for fracas |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/general/basketball-playercoaches-await-penalties-for-fracas-520057.html |access-date=2023-06-28 |website=The Independent |language=en}}</ref>
+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.<ref>{{cite news| author = Ian Whittell | title = Flournoy to face police over brawl | url = https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/main.jhtml?view=DETAILS&grid=&xml=/sport/2005/12/31/sobask31.xml | accessdate = 2007-07-16 | publisher = Daily Telegraph | location=London | date=2005-12-31}}{{dead link|date=July 2021|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref>
+During the summers of 2005 and 2006 the Bullets became the first professional basketball club from Britain to tour China competing against [[Chinese Basketball Association]] clubs during the 'UK/China Basketball Friendship Tour'.<ref>{{cite web| author = Solihull News | title = Bullets Get China Call | url = http://icsolihull.icnetwork.co.uk/sport/local/tm_objectid=16439223&method=full&siteid=91411&headline=bullets-get-china-call--name_page.html | year = 2005 | accessdate = 2010-03-23 | publisher = Solihull News}}</ref>  Over the two summers Harker led the Bullets to 13 wins and 11 losses.  Harker scored a professional career high of 44 points versus the [[Shandong Lions]] in 2006.  Harker left Birmingham prior to the 2006 season after the franchise was forced into liquidation- after a two year arena rental dispute with the City of Birmingham.  After a strong season and summer the Canadian Senior Men's National Team invited Harker to their training camp.
+===Worcester Wolves===
+He returned to the [[British Basketball League]] as the player-coach of BBL franchise [[Worcester Wolves]] in July 2007.<ref>{{cite news| author = BBC Sport | title = Wolves New Coach | url = http://www.bbc.co.uk/herefordandworcester/content/articles/2007/07/16/wolves_new_coach_feature.shtml | access-date = 2010-03-23 | publisher = BBC Sport | date=16 July 2007}}</ref><ref>{{cite news| author = BBC Sport | title = Wolves Director Chooses Coach | url = http://www.bbc.co.uk/herefordandworcester/content/articles/2007/07/16/mick_donovan_wolves_feature.shtml | access-date = 2010-03-23 | publisher = BBC Sport | date=16 July 2007}}</ref>
+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'<ref>{{cite news| author = Eurobasket.com | title = Eurobasket Top 100 | url = https://www.eurobasket.com/service/basketball-ranking.aspx| accessdate = 2011-03-22 | publisher = Eurobasket.com | date=2009-08-03}}</ref>([[Newcastle Eagles]], [[Everton Tigers]], and [[Scottish Rocks]]).  The 2008/09 season was the first season ever to see three BBL clubs in the Eurobasket Top 100, with Newcastle and Everton both in the top 75 at one stage.  The Wolves fell out of the playoff race after losing former NCAA assists leader [[William Funn]] (Portland State) and the BBL assists leader at the time, for the season as the club was in a playoff position.
+Following a very successful two-year stint as the Wolves head coach-player, in which Harker averaged 16 points and 8 rebounds, he opted to return to the club as strictly a professional player for the 2009/10 season.<ref>{{cite news| author = BBC Sport | title = Harker Happy to be Wolves Player | url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/other_sports/basketball/8180981.stm | accessdate = 2010-03-23 | publisher = BBC Sport | date=2009-08-03}}</ref>
+Harker's list of BBL recruits includes [[Jeff Bonds]] (Birmingham 2005/06) who went on to become [[BBL Most Valuable Player Award|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 (basketball)|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.<ref>{{cite web| author = Eurobasket.com | title = Harker named Energy Coach  | url = https://www.usbasket.com/IBL/basketball.aspx?NewsID=220289 | year = 2011 | accessdate = 2011-03-15 | publisher = Eurobasket.com}}</ref>
+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.<ref>{{cite web | author = German Bundesliga | title = Skouson Harker wechselt zum SC Rist | url = http://www.diejungeliga.de/magazin/artikel.php?artikel=16941&type=2&menuid=130&topmenu=130 | year = 2010 | access-date = 2010-09-23 | publisher = German Bundesliga | url-status = dead | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110718230259/http://www.diejungeliga.de/magazin/artikel.php?artikel=16941&type=2&menuid=130&topmenu=130 | archive-date = 2011-07-18 }}</ref>
+During spring 2009 the 6'9" (205&nbsp;cm) 240&nbsp;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.<ref>{{cite web| author = Worcester News | title = IBL Title Lifts Harker for Wolves Campaign  | url = http://www.worcesternews.co.uk/sport/wolves/4526254.IBL_title_lifts_Harker_for_Wolves_campaign/ | year = 2009 | accessdate = 2010-09-23 | publisher = Worcester News}}</ref>
+Harker was named a 2009 IBL All-Star<ref>{{cite web| author = BBC | title = Worcester's Harker Claims Award  | url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/other_sports/basketball/8182255.stm| year = 2009 | accessdate = 2011-03-15 | publisher = BBC}}</ref> with a well rounded 18.5 ppg and 8.3 rpg playing all 21 games.<ref>{{cite web | author = Canada Basketball | title = Alberta Player Heads Back to British League | url = http://fr.basketball.ca/en/hm/inside.php?cp=LarsHansen+-+H+of+F+2007.flv&aPlay=true&sid=1&id=3293 | year = 2009 | access-date = 2010-03-23 | publisher = Canada Basketball | url-status = dead | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110706165031/http://fr.basketball.ca/en/hm/inside.php?cp=LarsHansen+-+H+of+F+2007.flv&aPlay=true&sid=1&id=3293 | archive-date = 2011-07-06 }}</ref> The forward scored 32 points versus the Vancouver Titans, as well as 34 points versus the Oregon Wave.<ref>{{cite web| author = Derek Van Diest | title = Harker Effort Charges up Energy | url = http://slam.canoe.ca/Slam/Columnists/VanDiest/2009/05/31/9630521-sun.html | archive-url = https://archive.today/20120713222239/http://slam.canoe.ca/Slam/Columnists/VanDiest/2009/05/31/9630521-sun.html | url-status = usurped | archive-date = July 13, 2012 | year = 2009 | accessdate = 2010-03-23 | publisher = Slam Sports}}</ref>
+==Controversy==
+Harker continued with the Worcester-based club until 2010.  A week prior to his departure, both Harker and [[Evaldas Zabas]] were named to the BBL Team of the Week.<ref>{{cite web| author = BBL News | title = BBL Team of the Week #8 | url = http://www.bbl.org.uk/?bbl-team-of-the-week-8,99 | year = 2009 | accessdate = 2010-03-23 | publisher = BBL}}</ref> A week later Head Coach Chuck Evans' racist rant during a film session forced six Wolves players to refuse to play for the coach, as the club wanted to keep the 'incident quite' and not fire the coach. Coach Evans' resigned.  Numerous teachers and fans wrote in to the Worcester News to show their support for their fired Wolves players, making it the Worcester News' most commented story within 2009.<ref>{{cite web | author = Michael Reeves | title = Wolves Torn Apart in Racism Row | url = http://www.worcesternews.co.uk/news/local/4793678.Black_coach___s_angry_views_destroy_basketball_team/ | year = 2009 | access-date = 2010-03-23 | publisher = Worcester News | url-status = dead | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20100226221209/http://www.worcesternews.co.uk/news/local/4793678.Black_coach___s_angry_views_destroy_basketball_team/ | archive-date = 2010-02-26 }}</ref> The community of Worcester schools, both pupils and teachers, as well as many concerned fans and citizens wrote to the newspaper and rallied around the six sacked players; all to no avail as the Wolves Owner Roger Clarke refused to let the players back on the team, even after the coach had resigned.<ref>{{cite web| author = Michael Reeves | title = Pupils Ask for Sporting Gesture to Save Stars | url = http://www.google.ca/imgres?imgurl=http://www.droitwichadvertiser.co.uk/resources/images/1134479/%3Ftype%3Ddisplay&imgrefurl=http://www.droitwichadvertiser.co.uk/worcester_news/4804029.Pupils_ask_for_sporting_gesture_to_save_stars/&h=215&w=310&sz=16&tbnid=uXqoU_Ogh55kFM:&tbnh=81&tbnw=117&prev=/images%3Fq%3DSkouson%2BHarker&usg=__wTO1UET9EdIVxS7-n9gglVmbR2c=&ei=JYCqS8zYIY_kNdXYsK8B&sa=X&oi=image_result&resnum=7&ct=image&ved=0CBMQ9QEwBg | year = 2009 | accessdate = 2010-03-23 | publisher = Worcester News}}</ref>
+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 [[Paul James (basketball)|Paul James]], as well a move forward with the new [[Worcester Arena]].  Without the conviction and principle of which the sacked Wolves players demonstrated, the club would have never been in a position to hire Coach James.<ref>{{cite web| author = Michael Reeves | title = Wolves Snap up Former England Coach | url = http://www.worcesternews.co.uk/sport/4780522.Wolves_snap_up_former_England_coach/
+| year = 2009 | accessdate = 2010-03-23 | publisher = Worcester News}}</ref>
 ==Career history==
-*1998-99 {{flagicon|USA}} University of Oregon Ducks
+*1995-96 {{flagicon|USA}} [[Utah Valley Wolverines]]
-*2001-02 {{flagicon|USA}} Frontier City River Dogz
+*1996-98 {{flagicon|USA}} McCook College Indians
-*2002-03 {{flagicon|USA}} Arkon Wingfoots
+*1998-99 {{flagicon|USA}} [[University of Oregon Ducks]]
+*2001-02 {{flagicon|USA}} Frontier City River Dogz
+*2002-03 {{flagicon|USA}} [[Akron Wingfoots]]
 *2003-04 {{flagicon|Germany}} TS Göppingen
-*2004-05 {{flagicon|UK}} [[Birmingham Bullets]]
+*2004-06 {{flagicon|UK}} [[Birmingham Bullets]] Head Coach/player
-*2005-06 {{flagicon|UK}} [[Birmingham Bullets]] (player/coach)
+*2007-2010 {{flagicon|UK}} [[Worcester Wolves]] Head Coach/player
-*2007-2009 {{flagicon|UK}} [[Worcester Wolves]] (player/coach)
+*2009 {{flagicon|Canada}} [[Edmonton Energy]]
-*2009 {{flagicon|Canada}} Edmonton Energy
+*2009-10 {{flagicon|UK}} [[Worcester Wolves]]
-*2009-10 {{flagicon|UK}} [[Worcester Wolves]] (player)
+*2010 {{flagicon|Canada}} [[Edmonton Energy]]
+*2010-11 {{flagicon|Germany}} [[SC Rist Wedel]]
+*2011 {{flagicon|Canada}} [[Edmonton Energy]] Head Coach
 ==Notes==
-{{reflist}}
+{{Reflist}}
-{{DEFAULTSORT:Harker,Skouson}}
+{{DEFAULTSORT:Harker, Skouson}}
 [[Category:1977 births]]
 [[Category:Living people]]
-[[Category:Alberta sportspeople]]
+[[Category:Basketball people from Alberta]]
 [[Category:British Basketball League players]]
-[[Category:Canadian basketball coaches]]
+[[Category:Canadian men's basketball coaches]]
-[[Category:Canadian basketball players]]
 [[Category:Canadian expatriate basketball people in the United States]]
-[[Category:Canadian expatriate sportspeople in Germany]]
+[[Category:Canadian expatriate basketball people in Germany]]
-[[Category:Canadian expatriate sportspeople in the United Kingdom]]
+[[Category:Canadian expatriate sportspeople in England]]
+[[Category:Canadian men's basketball players]]
 [[Category:Montana State University alumni]]
+[[Category:Oregon Ducks men's basketball players]]
 [[Category:People from Raymond, Alberta]]
-[[Category:Power forwards (basketball)]]
+[[Category:Power forwards]]
 [[Category:Small forwards]]
 [[Category:Worcester Wolves players]]
+[[Category:Canadian expatriate basketball people in the United Kingdom]]
-{{Canada-hoops-bio-stub}}