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SPORTS
Harbour hits milestone for Midland
Cabell Midland 's Emily Harbour drive to the basket in the girls basketball game with Capital at Cabell Midland on Thursday, January 26, 2012.
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ONA -- With 1:45 remaining, Cabell Midland took a timeout.
No, Knights coach Matt Adkins didn't do it to draw up some epic last minute play that would propel his girls basketball team to a win. Midland was already up 18 on Capital -- that result was well in the books.
No, the dry erase board was needed for something else. Possibly something more important. Possibly Knights history.
Midland's Emily Harbour was three points away from reaching 1,000 in her career. This was an individual feat that had eluded the program for 18 years.
So Harbour came out of Adkins' huddle with the all-important play in-mind.
"I was a little nervous," she said. "I didn't think I could do it."
But she did ... eventually.
On the ensuing possession, Harbour came off a screen at the top of the key, but was quickly met by Cougar defenders. Instead of forcing a 3-pointer that would have started the celebration, she pumped and drove to the left wing.
With 1:30 left, Harbour was fouled on a runner.
Two shots.
She made the first, missed the second. She stood at 998.
26 seconds later, Harbour made it a clean 1,000.
On her next opportunity, the senior guard made a move left and kissed a lay-up off the glass for two.
Play stopped for a brief ceremony.
"Give her a round of applause," Adkins told the crowd.
They did. And with that, you had your main storyline from a dominating 53-32 Midland win.
"It's just a good feeling," Harbour said. "I really didn't believe I could do it.
"I just worked hard since freshman year. Just a lot of practice."
And some pain, too.
Harbour's historic two points came as she struggled in hurt, heavily nursing a right knee injury.
"I tore a muscle two games ago," she said.
But Adkins never saw it have a huge effect on her play.
"She hasn't missed anything," he said. "She's a trooper, man. She's a player."
And a teammate.
Hence the Knights' strong collective effort to get her 1,000th point as time was winding down.
"When we told the girls and they knew how many she had, they started to get excited for her and started trying to help her," Adkins said. "Those are good teammates. They played well."
Harbour entered the night 15 points shy of the milestone last met at Midland by Brittney Scarberry in 1994-95.
She got exactly that.
"She didn't make it easy on me," Adkins said with a laugh. "She missed a couple lay-ups. Some free throws. She could have had it a lot earlier."
But earlier, Harbour was helping with the Knights (8-7) padding its big lead with her defensive effort.
Leading the press or heading the halfcourt 1-2-2, Harbour was active and a big reason behind Capital's 25 turnovers.
"That's the thing with Emily," Adkins said. "She's a great defender. She's quick. She doesn't always get the steal, but she just makes it hard for you to make a pass or get a pass-back."
Besides tournament success, there's only thing left for Harbour to accomplish at Midland.
Make her coach tear up on Senior Night.
"This will be the first graduating class since I've been head coach," Adkins said. "Of course, this is a special place for me. To have one of them score 1,000, that's a big deal for me.
"I'll be choked up on Senior Night. That'll be a little more surreal for me this year than it has been in the past."
CAPITAL 8 7 9 8 -- 32: Dudley 10, Spencer 8, Hairston 2, Harris 3, Crowder 9
CABELL MIDLAND 11 13 11 18 -- 53: Harbour 15, Bias 5, Newlin 3, McNeeley 5, Pitkin 4, Carter 5, Harden 7, Sa. Jordan 5, Si. Jordan 4
