Bulla Recap: Goulding explodes as United claims Grand Final Game One

Melbourne United have taken a 1-0 lead in the 2021 NBL Grand Final Series, claiming a hard-fought and unforgettable win over the Perth Wildcats at RAC Arena on Friday night.

It was an absolute battle all night as defence reined supreme, but Chris Goulding was able to break the game open in a magical third quarter performance that lifted his team to victory on the road.

Goulding got United off to the perfect start with a triple on the first possession of the game and then followed that up with a block on the other end.

While Mason Peatling ensured the scoreboard ticked over early for Melbourne, it was Perth who jumped out to an early lead as Clint Steindl and Kevin White hit long-range shots. When Todd Blanchfield scored with just over three minutes to play in the first quarter, the Wildcats held seven-point lead, 16-9.

A Jock Landale and-1 play sent a message, while Scotty Hopson came in and scored a three-pointer immediately to help United keep in touch. At the first break, Perth held a one-point lead, 19-18.

A Jo Lual-Acuil Jr. bucket gave United the lead early in the second quarter, but Wani Swaka Lo Buluk came into the game and gave the Wildcats plenty of energy. Landale began to assert himself midway through the term with a pair of important buckets, but Melbourne struggled to get their offence going as turnovers proved costly.

With both teams struggling to score it was a battle of attrition defensively in the second term as neither team took a backwards step. Despite buckets being hard to come by, the intensity was absolutely bubbling.

John Mooney scored buckets down the stretch of the first half, while a Goulding triple in the final 10 seconds ensured Melbourne was right there at the main break, trailing by four points, 35-31.

Goulding (8 points) and Landale (7 points and 3 rebounds) were leading the way for United, while Blanchfield (9 points and 3 rebounds) was important for the Wildcats.

After struggling to score in the first half, it was a completely different story for United in the third term as Goulding got in one of those moods where he simply couldn’t be stopped.

He scored a lay-up early, then hit a jump shot after collecting an offensive board. That set the scene as Goulding and Blanchfield traded buckets as the two sharpshooters put on a show.

As Blanchfield tried to keep Perth in front, the offensive barrage by Melbourne – led by Goulding – was too much as the road team took the lead, 50-49, courtesy of a Landale bucket in the paint with three and a half minutes to play in the quarter.

David Barlow hit a pair of important triples in the quarter, while Goulding’s long-range shooting was elite. For all the shot-making by United, it was Mitch McCarron’s presence that was putting it all together. His playmaking, defence and effort was sublime.

The final minute of the term was huge for United, with a steal and massive dunk by Landale sparking the team and then a McCarron offensive rebound and tip out to Goulding on the wing led to a buzzer-beater triple and stare down by Goulding, who scored 12 points in the quarter.

Heading into the final term, Melbourne held a seven-point lead, 60-53. It was an incredible turnaround for United in the third quarter, who after scoring just 31 points in the entire first half, piled on 29 points in the third quarter alone.

Shea Ili hit a triple in the first minute of the fourth term to give Melbourne a nine-point lead, while Goulding hit yet another long-range shot a minute later.

A Lual-Acuil Jr. bucket forced Perth to call a time-out, and that time-out sparked the Wildcats as Mitch Norton scored at the rim, before Blanchfield connected from deep.

After blocking a Blanchfield three-point attempt, McCarron followed that up with possibly the assist of the season with an absolutely beautiful bullet pass to Lual-Acuil Jr., who finished the play with a dunk.

With Melbourne looking likely to run away with the win, leading 72-65 with 3:20 on the clock, Perth wouldn’t give in. To their credit, they kept coming and Blanchfield was still leading the charge.

He hit another triple, before White sliced through United’s defence for a lay-up to make it a two-point game, 72-70, with two and a half minutes remaining.

It was a frantic and nail-biting final couple of minutes, but neither team was able to put the game to bed as the defence once again came to the fore.

Landale drained one of two free throws with two minutes to play, making it a three-point game, 73-70, and that led to an epic finish.

With 21 seconds left, it was a defensive stand by Barlow and Landale under the bucket that halted Mooney’s lay-up attempt. With Barlow hustling, Landale was able to get the block and then chaos ensued.

A missed Jesse Wagstaff jump shot was rebounded by a hustling Goulding with less than 10 seconds on the clock, but the ball was then turned over and Wagstaff had a chance to send the game to overtime but his triple just rimmed out in the final seconds, leading to a memorable Grand Final Game One win for United in enemy territory, 73-70.

Goulding (23 points and five triples) put on an offensive masterclass, while Landale (17 points, 7 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals and 2 blocks) and McCarron (11 rebounds, 7 assists and 6 points) stuffed the stat-sheet. Lual-Acuil Jr. (10 points and 7 rebounds) and Barlow (7 points) provided crucial buckets for Melbourne.

Blanchfield (27 points and 7 rebounds) was extraordinary for Perth, while White (10 points and 5 rebounds) also scored in double figures.

Boasting a 1-0 lead in the best of five series, United will look to grab another win in enemy territory on Sunday in Game Two. Tip off is at 5pm (AEST) at RAC Arena.