Killer P’s No Match for Sophomore Forward

With a combination of aggressive board-snatching and lethal post play, sophomore Emma Markley has made playing the three spot look too easy.

Throughout the season, the Crimson has been playing a run-and-gun system, one that allows guards and perimeter shooters to shine. Markley, however, has been dominating her opposing forwards, and when the weekend proved that shooting wasn’t going to be the only way win, Markley stepped up to meet the pressures that Harvard was facing.

“I’m really glad that I can score for the team,” Markley said. “It’s an honor to step on court whether I can score two points or fifteen points on the night.”

Against Princeton on Friday, the team was shooting a dismal 14.8 percent after the first half.The Crimson adjusted to the situation, changing to a more physical game plan to overcome a 22-point deficit. Harvard looked for its big players and Markley responded.

“I couldn’t believe that we had to be down by 22 points to finally start stepping it up,” Markley said. “We knew it was going to be a hard fight but we chipped at the lead and finally overtook them.”

The sophomore ended up with 16 points and eight rebounds, using her interior presence to provide space for the guards to recover on the offensive front.

“Emma Markley, when she starts strong, is really tough to defend,” Harvard coach Kathy Delaney-Smith said.

“If Emma Markley is feeling good, she’s going to score in several different ways.”

Markley must have felt great the next day. The near double-double was followed up by a spectacular performance on Saturday against Penn.

Markley scored 23 points and had a game-high 14 rebounds, securing her seventh pair of double figures of the season.

She was critical in the first half, contributing six to a 15-point stretch that distanced Harvard from the Quakers. Her major point contribution came in the second half when she stepped up again to stave off Penn. Markley made two shots late in the fourth quarter that denied the Quakers any possibility for a comeback.

Delaney-Smith had only a simple but engrossing phrase for Markley’s play. “[Markley] is wonderful.”

Markley, a Yorktown, N.Y. native, has settled into the role of a premier offensive option for the Crimson. This has been a breakout season for the sophomore, who saw limited playing time during her freshman year.

“My second year on the team has come with improved play and better chemistry between my teammates and me,” Markley said.

Markley, last week’s Ivy League Player of the Week for the third time this campaign, was rewarded for her efforts against Cornell and Columbia, a weekend split that saw her average a stellar 22.5 points, 12 rebounds, and five blocks.

“I just think I’ve been stronger and I’ve been able to adapt well with everyone on the court,” Markley said. “As we play more, we learn each other’s tendencies, and that makes the team better.”

As opposed to the nine minutes a game she played last year, Markley has spent more time on the court with her teammates this season, averaging 26.4 minutes a game along with team highs of 14.1 points and 7.6 boards. She’s also been a defensive presence, averaging 1.6 blocks and .95 steals a game. Her field goal percentage is a solid .523.

Though Markley has been individually dazzling, she realizes that it takes more than her career highs to win games.

“We have great energy and talent,” Markley said. “Playing with this group of girls has really improved my game and has made the team successful thus far.”