POTTSVILLE – Emily Titus is the consummate team player.

She sets aside personal goals for team play and winning. But on this special night of achievement, Titus wrote her name into the storied history of Tamaqua basketball scoring her career 1000th point.

It came with less than three minutes remaining in the Raiders 63-33 mauling over Wilson (13-11) in the opening round of the District 11 4A girls tournament, as Titus let a smooth swish snap the net here at the fabled Martz Hall, where many legendary basketball players roamed in seasons past.

While Titus was receiving adulations from all over, she was more concerned about getting this victory. “Oh it’s nice to do this, since my dad (Ed) and my aunt Lynne did it. It was more important that we won this first-round game and now we get to play two more times.”

In other words, Titus wants to make a state run beyond the district tournament. Titus juiced the twines for a career-best 25 points. Her sidekick Emma Kuczynski was bobbing-and-weaving early against the visiting Warriors from Easton.

Kuczynski, who scored 24 points and tallied a whopping 18 rebounds, forged her team’s fast getaway with nearly a double-double through the first eight minutes. After Titus hit a midrange shot, Kuczynski, shined for the Raiders by scoring Tamaqua’s next 18 points.

Kuczynski’s first four baskets were via the fast break, along with a foul shot for a 9-0 lead before Wilson got on the board. Back came the blitzing Kuczynski to score five more unanswered points before she finished off the smackdown with a steal and a put back basket.

“I’m so happy the way we played and to do it as a team,” said Titus. “This was so important for us get this first game win. Now we can continue to play.”

The laser start slowed thereafter, but the Raiders were never threatened as they earned a 28-9 halftime advantage.

“We did not talk much about the (1,000-point) milestone,” said Tamaqua coach Erika Davis. “What better place to get it in a big win, in a district game at Martz Hall … we’re very proud of her.”

With 2:46 showing on the clock, Davis nailed a trey for her moment of glory, something she seems to shy away at times, which can be attested by her dad too.

“She said (at the timeout) I can come out of the game and get it the next game, and I told her no way get it now and get it over with,” said Ed Titus, who also serves as an assistant coach.

“Yeah, it was a relief once I made it,” said Emily. “I mean this is great, but the win is most important.”

And scoring a 1,000 points isn’t all that shabby, either.

BY THE NUMBERS … Titus now ranks 13th on the all-time Tamaqua girls’ scoring list, surpassing Lisa Willing over the weekend. It was only the fifth three-pointer of the season for Titus, who now stands at 1,002 career points.

GETTING CLOSER TOO … Kuczynski is honing in on 2,000 career points, needing only 43 after her 27-point outing against the Warriors.

ON A SIDE NOTE … Emily Titus is the third member of her family to post 1000 points. Her aunt Lynne did in between 1974-1978 and is fourth on the all-time list for girls. Erika Barron Davis, Emily’s coach is tops 2,317. Cindy Miller 2155 and Kuczynski sitting at 1957. Emily’s dad Eddie scored over 1500 in his career.

ON THE HORIZON … The win assures Tamaqua of at least three more games. It plays league rival Jim Thorpe next, Wednesday at Martz Hall. A win puts them in the finals; a loss sends the Raiders to a consey game.

WILSON

Roth 0-2-2-2, Errico, Al 0-0-0-0, Caiati 0-0-0-0, Errico 4-1-2-10, Miller 0-0-0-0, Days 0-0-0-0, Heinemann 0-0-0-0, Goodman, (Almond) 5-1-2-13, Grant 1-0-0-2, Crozier 3-0-2-6. TOTALS: 13-4-8-33

TAMAQUA

Meckes 0-0-0-0, Kane 0-0-0-0, Zuber 2-0-0-4, Hromyak 0-0-0-0, Jones 0-0-0-0, Boyle 1-0-0-3, Titus 10-4-4-25, Wingler 0-0-0-0, Hope 0-0-0-0, Frederickson 1-2-2-4, Kuczynski 9-6-7-24, Reinhardt 1-0-0-2. TOTALS: 24-12-13-62

Wilson 6 3 14 10 - 33

Tamaqua 20 9 22 11 - 62

Three-pointers: Wil - Goodman 2, Errico 1; Tam - Boyle 1, Titus 1.