Meunier continues to thrive on Geraldton move

While what Malik Meunier is doing at the Geraldton Buccaneers in the NBL1 West is deserving of him receiving an NBL opportunity, all he’s worried about is continuing to improve and help the Buccs go one step better in 2023.

Meunier had played all of his basketball in Melbourne at the Knox Raiders up until the end of 2021 when he wanted a fresh start, and more opportunities.

That is how life brought him out west to join the Geraldton Buccaneers and now 18 months later, it’s the best decision he has ever made both for his growth as a basketball player, and as a person to be living away from home.

Getting an NBL opportunity

Anyone who has watched Meunier play closely in the NBL1 West at the Buccaneers over the past season and-a-half are surprised that an NBL opportunity hasn’t come his way just yet.

On the back of averaging 13.1 points, 6.0 rebounds and 4.2 assists last season as part of a Buccs team that reached the Grand Final, Meunier has improved further so far in 2023 up to 18.3 points, 6.1 assists and 4.6 rebounds a game.

It’s not just about the numbers though. Meunier has proven himself a player made for the big moments and big stage, he has shown what a versatile all-round guard he is, and looks like he’d be someone that would thrive by getting into an NBL environment.

Whether that happens or not is obviously out of his control, but the 24-year-old would embrace the opportunity if it came his way.

“I would love a chance in the NBL obviously,” Meunier said.

“I play against guys in the NBL1 who come back to play from the NBL, and I feel like I can compete really well with them and hold on my own. So if that opportunity did come calling I’d definitely grab it with both hands.”

Making the move to join the Buccs

Meunier had spent his lifetime in basketball playing with the Knox Raiders and graduating into the NBL1 South team, but he just felt his career was stagnating by the end of 2021.

What he wanted was the chance to receive more opportunities with a key role on an NBL1 team somewhere in the country, and when Geraldton came calling he quickly jumped at the chance.

It couldn’t have worked out better but not only in a basketball sense, he’s also enjoyed the chance to grow up quickly after moving interstate and away from home where he has had to learn to fend for himself.

“It was just for a better opportunity really. I had played at Knox for my entire juniors and all the way through to 2019 and then I was just looking for a bigger role in a team, and stuff like that,” Meunier said. 

“Geraldton was willing to offer me that so I thought I might as well take the chance and see what happens. It’s helped me grow not only as a player, but as a person too where I’m living out of home and on my own. 

“It’s been really good for me as an individual but also as a player. I just wanted a bigger role and to see where it could take me.”

Meunier felt he was a player ready to play a big role on an NBL team coming into 2022, but has no doubt he is now a much better all-round player thanks to the 18 months he’s spent at the Buccs.

As a two guard, Meunier is a terrific shooter and scorer, can take the ball to the rack, and can run the point and be a distributor. He’s also a good rebounder for his size, is a good athlete and his defence is improving all the time.

Meunier gives full credit to Buccs coach Dayle Joseph and the rest of the coaching staff, and his teammates for helping him develop so significantly.

“I’ve become a heaps better player,” he said. 

“I’m a lot more confident now individually and I wanted that bigger role, and the fact that my coach could offer me that and has the confidence in me to do that, and so do my teammates so that really gives me a lot of confidence. 

“It’s just been a really good move for me individually as a player.”

Heartbreak of losing last year’s decider

Not only did Meunier have such a standout individual season on arrival to Geraldton last season averaging 13.1 points, 6.0 rebounds and 4.2 assists a game, the Buccs team were also outstanding reaching the Grand Final.

They also had one hand on the championship before Rockingham took control in the fourth quarter to win the title, and then a week later go on to claim the National Championship in Melbourne.

For Meunier, it was a double blow not only to miss the NBL1 West championship but also the opportunity to go back home to play at the State Basketball Centre in Melbourne where he had spent so much of his basketball life before moving to Geraldton.

“It was definitely a tough pill to swallow. Of course, that’s what you strive for all season and to get there and just fall short at the end of that game was definitely tough,” Meunier said.

“For me I definitely wanted that National Championships too so I could go back home and play in front of my family. That was the stadium I grew up so going back home was my thing and my grandparents live just up the road from that stadium. 

“So that was definitely a tough pill to swallow for all of us, it was definitely a very quiet changeroom after that game. There wasn’t too much said after that besides we had a great season leading up, we did all the preparation and sometimes the ball just doesn’t drop the way you want it.”

While you do try to not think too much about a losing Grand Final the previous season, Meunier does find that what it does is make you realise the importance even more of every game now in 2023.

Having lost that decider, Meunier and his Buccs teammates don’t want to feel like that again, and know that every win they can record this season is getting them closer to going one step better to claim that championship come August.

“It’s definitely in the back of my mind for sure and if we have a loss throughout the season, it just makes them a little bit tougher to take because we know that last year we started off so good,” Meunier said.

“Obviously we never want to lose and we’re all super competitive, but any losses are tougher because you want to finish as high as you can. 

“It definitely keeps you hungry to want to keep winning and makes you go into every game focused, and to make sure you do your job right because you know how important every game is and how it can help you get what you want at the end of the day.”

Why Geraldton is such a good place to play

After how well last season went for Meunier both in terms of his personal role on the team and his performances with the Buccs, then how well the team went to reach the Grand Final and also how much he loved living in Geraldton, coming back was his easiest ever decision.

“Coming back was really a no brainer for me. The people here are awesome, the fans and teammates are awesome, and it just really is a community,” he said. 

“The whole town gets around us and stuff like that so it’s really awesome. It’s just a good place to be and the support you get is just unreal for everybody.”

Meunier wasn’t sure exactly what to expect from playing in Geraldton when he signed ahead of the 2022 season. 

He had heard the home game atmosphere was something special and the way nearly 1000 people every single night create an environment unlike anything else in the NBL1 West, but to experience it firsthand has even blown him away.

“I guess the only thing that has surprised me is just how much the whole town gets behind the team,” Meunier said. 

“I had heard about the crowds and stuff before I signed here, but I didn’t realise it was to such a scale. You see people recording from the crowds during the games and their phones are shaking the crowd is so loud and so much is going on. 

“That probably threw me off a little bit in the first home game that we had last year, but it’s awesome to be part of.”

What Meunier does know is that he sure wouldn’t like to be on the visiting team coming to play against the Buccs in Geraldton. He has no doubt the crowd support is a big reason why they are undefeated so far in 2023 at Active West Stadium.

“I definitely wouldn’t want to be on the other side of it, that’s for sure. It’s completely different to games down in Perth where you get the odd clap here and there, and stuff like that,” he said. 

“But the crowds out here, you get a genuine 800, 900 people at every home and it’s just awesome. It’s definitely good to be the home team when it’s like that and it really pumps you up for the game. 

“One little thing happens in the game and the whole crowd goes off. It really gets you going, it’s awesome.”

Embracing some legendary teammates

Not only is Meunier enjoying playing for a Buccaneers team that is the toast of Geraldton, but also to be teammates with championship winning trio with 486-game championship winning captain Mat Wundenberg, 421-game great Aaron Ralph and 2019 Grand Final MVP Liam Hunt has only added to the experience.

“It’s awesome to play with those guys with that experience. They definitely make sure that they keep you sharp when you are on the court, and keep you accountable,” he said. 

“It’s just good to have those guys as leaders with such experience and how many years they’ve been at the club. 

“They have that experience and they know that when it gets down to crunch time in games and stuff like that, that experience usually wins out. It’s good to have that on our side.”

This season so far

On the back of that Grand Final appearance last season, the Buccaneers have again started this season well to currently be on a four-game winning streak, and having won eight of the past nine.

That has the Buccs sitting on a 9-3 record firmly entrenched again in the top four ahead of another crucial match up at home to the Joondalup Wolves this Saturday night.

Meunier is happy with how the season is going and thinks a key to their success is how well the group gets along.

“We definitely still have stuff to iron out as every team does, but besides that I think we’re good,” Meunier said. 

“I think it helps our team that we have such good chemistry off the court and I think that’s a big part of why Geraldton is so good. There might not be as much to do out here, but everyone wants to hang out all the time. 

“The fact we spend so much time together and just hang out, and be mates instead of just teammates, it definitely helps our on-court chemistry. You can see it in mid-game when we’re all joking around a bit with each other and it definitely helps that we get along so well.”