KNOX, Pa. – A double-double machine throughout her career, Natalie Bowser completed the ultimate double-double Thursday night when she achieved the rare feat of recording her 1,000th career point and 1000th career rebound in the same game.
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Needing four rebounds and 13 points to get the nearly unheard of achievement in the same game (many players have scored 1,000 points and grabbed 1,000 rebounds but very few have done it in the same contest), Bowser finished with 18 points and 18 rebounds in Keystone’s 43-28 win over visiting Cranberry.
“It is honestly a true blessing,” Bowser said. “I didn’t even know I was close to my 1,000th rebound until Coach (Andy) Traister told me this year. It’s a dream come true. I am speechless. I don’t even know what to say. I am just so honored that I was able to do this with all the teammates I have had who have made this possible. I am just so honored.”
Bowser’s milestone rebound came on a double offensive rebound situation for her with 2:04 left in the first quarter.
Needing two boards for the mark, she pulled down an offensive rebound off a missed 3-pointer by Jenna Pierce then missed the putback but grabbed the rebound while being fouled.
Watch the milestone rebound courtesy of Keystone’s NFHS video
“I think the reason I am such a good offensive rebounder is because I am unpredictable most of the time,” Bowser said. “I will back off my girl so I can cut around her and get the rebound. Most of the time, they just don’t see it coming. They just expect me to be slow and stand there. But I use the little bit of speed I have to my advantage.”
After reaching the first milestone, Bowser set her sights on the 1,000-point milestone, and she achieved that 1:07 into the second half when she scored on a layup (she was fouled on the play and completed the old-school 3-point play after receiving the game ball for 1,000 points.
Watch the milestone points
“My biggest memory of it is having all my teammates out there with me and coming and congratulating me,” Bowser said. “Just having that experience. Not everyone has the experience of playing basketball. Just being forever grateful that I have that experience and that I had that experience to score my 1,000th point.”
Watch Bowser get the game ball for her 1,000th point
If the 1,000th point and 1,000th rebound weren’t enough, the milestones also happened on Senior Night when Bowser had her dad Tom (her mom Dawn passed away a few years ago) along with her siblings and some relatives and friends in attendance.
“It is so special,” Bowser said. “I lost my mom to cancer four years ago. So having it on Senior Night when your parents are supposed to be there just means so much to me. And just being able to do it on my terms, on my court, on my day, it is just unbelievable. It is a dream come true.”
Watch Bowser’s full interview
With everything hanging over the night – Senior Night, the Bowser approaching milestones – Keystone struggled a bit in the early going and trailed 9-7 early in the second quarter.
But four straight points from Bowser, the first two off an offensive rebound, seemed to stabilize the Lady Panthers who went on a half-ending 14-2 run to take a 21-11 halftime lead.
Bowser’s 1,000th point and subsequent free throws pushed the run to 17-2 and made it 24-11, and Keystone led 32-17 by the end of the third quarter.
The rest of the Lady Panther scoring was done by committee with eight additional players finding the scorebook including five points from Jillian Winters.
Sydney Bell added two points and eight rebounds in the win, while Bowser also had six blocked shots.
Kendell Findlay led Cranberry with 12 points.
Bowser finished the night with 1,014 rebounds and 1,005 points. She is the 10th girls’ player in school history with 1,000 points and the first since Emily Lauer did so in 2021.
Keystone’s All-Time 1,000-Point Girls’ Scorers
1. Brittany Mays – 2003 – 1,743
2. Morgan Johnson – 2013 – 1,606
3. Madison Johnson – 2015 – 1,551
4. Taylor Geer – 2018 – 1,401
5. Deanna Henry – 2001 – 1,310
6. Emily Lauer – 2021 – 1,233
7. Laurie Heath – 1982 – 1,129
8. Sam Schwabenbauer – 2010 – 1,167
9. Julie Ganoe – N/A – 1,084
10. Natalie Bowser – 2023 – 1,005* (Through Feb. 9)
