Ladder leading point guard a key in Mountaineers charge to finals

Millie Natalier is lighting up the SQJBC scoring nearly 34 points a game. The young point guard leads the competition in scoring but is more excited by what is to come for her team. Find out what the Mountaineers star is looking forward to most here.

Point guard Millie Natalier is leading a Toowoomba Mountaineers charge that could finish as one of the greatest ‘comebacks’ of all time.

After starting the Under-16 Girls South Queensland Junior Basketball Competition with just one win in their first eight games, the Mountaineers are now just one game outside of the top four and a semi-final spot.

Natalier has been the star topping the scorer’s table with a competition leading 33.9 points per game.

“I have been shooting the ball pretty well so far,” Natalier said.

“I just try to play my game … I like to shoot the ball if I get a good look but if I can find a teammate in a better spot I’ll pass to them.

“It’s all about the team doing well for me.”

Unsurprisingly Natalier leads all scorers this season with 408 points ahead of Lily Bartholomaeus (218) and Indira Bourke (205).

The 15-year-old lead was unstoppable in the Mountaineers 73-70 defeat of SC Phoenix Teal racking up a season high 50 points.

However, despite all the personal milestones and plaudits from teammates and rivals, Natalier takes more satisfaction from her team’s change in fortunes this season.

The Toowoomba Mountaineers under-16 girls squad celebrate a win.

Millie Natalier puts up a shot for the Toowoomba Mountaineers during a match against Southern Districts Titans in round one of BQJBC under-12 girls Southern Cup in 2019.

“It was really tough at the start of the season so it’s good that the team is playing well now,” she said.

“We have a real trust in ourselves and each other on and off the court now.

“That (belief) helps a lot. We all know what we have to do to help each other and the team.

“We’re playing as a team and that is how you win.

“I think we can play finals.”

Mountaineers coach Matthew Cox said it has been exciting to watch the growth of the team as the season has progressed.

“I think we (the coaching team and supporters) definitely believed in them a lot more than they believed in themselves at the start of the season,” he said.

“The whole team has really grown as the season has progressed.

“One of the biggest changes we’ve seen is in our rebounding. Our defence has been pretty good from the start but we were giving away too many second chances because we were not boxing out and rebounding well enough.

“We’re rebounding a lot better now and that’s a sign of the effort everyone is putting in.

“They’ve really matured as the season has progressed, they have that belief in themselves and each other and it’s showing on the court with the overall standard of play lifting.

“We have two tough games ahead of us but I do think we’re in with a shot of making the semis if the girls play with that belief they’ve been showing.”

The Mountaineers are currently in fifth place on 22 points.

They face the unbeaten SWM Pirates Gold (36 points) and fourth placed Gold Coast Waves (24).