ONE of Warrnambool Mermaids' emerging teenage basketballers expects the return of three senior teammates to bolster their chances on Saturday night.
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Mia Mills, 15, said having Louise Brown, Olivia Fuller and Keele Hillas suit up against Sherbrooke Suns would give them a chance to return to the Big V winners' list.
The away fixture follows the Mermaids' 12-hour round road trip to face Mildura Heat last round.
Mills said she was excited to play the Suns - an undefeated team which edged them out on their home floor earlier this season.
"We head to Sherbrooke to take on the top team, it will be a bit of a challenge I think everyone is looking forward to," she said.
"We played them in round five and we went down, 66-61, so it was a pretty close game."
Mills' basketball IQ means she pays close attention to the scouting report and is wary of Sherbrooke's main threats.
"They have a really good import, Ariel Hearn her name is, and she had 27 points against us and we actually thought we did not too badly on her," she said.
"She is a bit of a freak. She's got incredible handles. Our scout this weekend is we're going to throw a bit of a different defence at her and she how she copes with that.
"They also have a pretty dominant big, Alicia Carline. She had 13 points and 16 rebound against us last time.
"They are the two major players we have to shut down."
The Warrnambool College student, who is part of her school's Sporting Pathway Program, is always looking for ways to improve her game.
"I'll be honest, I was pretty average the first few rounds and it's only been in the last three or four weeks that I've begun to score a bit more and had more of an impact on the game," she said.
"It's something I am trying to work on, being more consistent at both ends of the floor."
Working as a cohesive unit has also been a goal for Mills.
"I am beginning to gel with my teammates a bit more. I hadn't played with Katie (O'Keefe) before but when we're on the floor together I really enjoy having her experience by my side," she said.
"She's an absolute ripper; she's killing it."
The Mermaids sit fifth on a nine-team ladder with a 4-4 win-loss record.
"Consistency is a big thing (we're aiming for). We have quarters where we can be really good and then we have quarters where we look like we're cruising through a warm-up," Mills said.
"It starts at the defensive end of the floor and our offence then comes."
Warrnambool Seahawks (6-5) play Coburg Giants away on Saturday night as they aim for four straight wins.
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