A look back at Melbourne United’s NBL25 season

After winning the last game of the regular season, Melbourne United finished second on the ladder, giving them an extended break before their finals run. It’s been an up and down season so far, filled with highs and lows to look back on. 

United had the privilege of playing the first game of the season against the Tasmania JackJumpers as part of Hoops Fest. Aiming for a strong start to the season, United won this game and looked to build some momentum. 

United went 7-3 to start their season. This stretch saw some big wins and standout performances. The team headed to Perth and handed the Wildcats a 29-point loss at RAC Arena. Ian Clark played one of the best games of his career, getting hot from deep and finishing with 25 points and 5 made threes. Shea Ili also put on an elite performance on both ends of the floor, keeping Bryce Cotton to just 5 points while only being 1 rebound and 1 assist off a 22-point triple double himself.

Flynn Cameron was another standout during this stretch, stepping up in some big games. His scoring capabilities were on full display in their win against the Illawarra Hawks. He finished with 18 points, 4 rebounds and 4 assists while also making an impact on the defensive end. He backed this up with another outstanding performance against the Cairns Taipans where he had another 18 points along with 10 rebounds. 

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Just when it seemed the team had found their form, the New Zealand Breakers stunned United, defeating them by 34 points at home. The Breakers were able to score at will against an uncharacteristic defensive lapse. United also struggled to find their groove offensively, resulting in an all-round disappointing performance. 

Chris Goulding Breaking Records

Being exposed and learning some important lessons from that loss motivated United to win their next five games. The highlight of this was Chris Goulding’s historic 46 point game against the Perth Wildcats. In a game where United saw themselves down by 14 at half time, CG43 found a way to turn it around, putting on one of the most exceptional third quarter performances the league has ever seen. 

He accumulated 22 points in only 4 minutes which included 6 made threes. He set a franchise record for the most points ever scored by a Melbourne United player and proved why he is still one of the most talented players in the league. 

Unfortunately for United, CG went down with a calf injury late in one of their following games against the Sydney Kings. This would result in him missing the team’s next four games which was incredibly untimely as he was in some of the best form of his career. United really struggled in their following games, losing four in a row. This included marquee games against some of their biggest rivals, like the Illawarra Hawks, South East Melbourne Phoenix, and the Tasmania Jack Jumpers. 

Success on the Road

The team stayed motivated and continued to work hard to get back to their winning ways, knowing that they would be on the road for their next seven games. They started off their

road trip in Cairns and got a much needed win. In their following game they travelled to Adelaide to face off in an incredibly hostile environment against the 36ers where they were handed a loss.

Knowing something needed to change, United came out firing in their next game against the Sydney Kings with a dominant first quarter. They were able to win the game after a perfectly executed play involving Matthew Dellavedova and Jack White, despite the Kings’ late run.

United won their next game against the New Zealand Breakers off of another well-executed play resulting in a game-winning three from CG, who finished with 42 points and a career high 10 made threes. 

The stage was then set for a top of the table clash against the Illawarra Hawks. While United were competitive in the first quarter, the game slipped away. The team looked to have lacked the effort that they had shown previously and went away with a lot to learn from. 

The team finished their road trip with two big wins against the Perth Wildcats and the Brisbane Bullets. Jack White and Ian Clark both had a resurgence in form and were standouts in these games. Whitey finished with a career high 26 points along with 16 rebounds against the Wildcats and 17 points against the Bullets. IC had 16 points against the Wildcats followed by an outstanding 24 points against the Bullets. 

Strong run home

United then returned home to play their first game back at John Cain Arena in over a month against the Tasmania Jack Jumpers. Despite the Jack Jumpers being undermanned, winning wasn’t easy. The JackJumpers were making tough shots and United didn’t have any answers, leading them to concede 61 points in the first half. It took a spectacular team performance in the fourth quarter to beat the JackJumpers at home for the first time in the regular season. 

Shea Ili led the way on both ends of the floor by being aggressive, getting steals and pushing the pace to finish with 18 points, 7 rebounds, 6 assists and 2 steals. Kyle Bowen also played a crucial role, stepping up for Whitey who was managing an injury. 

There was no better way to finish the regular season than with a Throwdown. Having lost their last two games against the South East Melbourne Phoenix, United were up and about for this game. The team came out and played a strong first quarter before things could’ve slipped away. United were able to secure a 10-point win on the back of another all-round great team performance in the second half, with players like KB and Tanner Krebs stepping up. 

United finished the season 19-10, and have won their last four games. The team are in good form and will look to use the break to their advantage going into finals.