CG43 suits up for 200th United game

Melbourne United’s all-time scoring leader Chris Goulding is set to eclipse another major milestone for the club at the weekend.

CG43 will become the first Melbourne player to have played 200 games for the club since it became United in 2014.

Across his time with the club, Goulding has captured a pair of NBL Championships, as well as a Finals MVP award.

Speaking about his captain ahead of the milestone game, Head Coach Dean Vickerman heaped praise on Goulding’s work ethic and leadership within the club.

“For him to be one of the key leaders at the club during his time and go through the grind of building a successful franchise to where it is where we’re competing for championships every year speaks volumes.

“I’ve really enjoyed working with him in the leadership of the club. He’s got a great vision of what’s going on and if we start to slip in an area he’s the one to step up and make sure that we’re doing all the right things.

“I think that makes him so valuable to our club and our team… he carries our values in the way that we want people to understand.”

These sentiments were echoed by long-time teammate David Barlow, who has played alongside CG for their entire tenure at United.

Barlow emphasised that while Goulding is among the world’s best on the court, he will always cherish the relationship the pair have off the court.

“CG is legitimately one of the best basketball players in the world. I love playing with him, I love being on the court with him, appreciating his skill, his intelligence and his winning nature.

“All these things are great,  but to be honest I’m really grateful to have had him as a teammate and a friend.

“At the end of the day I’m going to always consider him more as a person than as a basketball player. He’s an absolute legend, a brilliant person, I love hanging out with him, love talking crap with him… I consider myself super lucky to have played with him for so long.”

Goulding’s leadership is something that is greatly appreciated among United’s younger players, like Zac Triplett, who grew up watching the sharpshooter.

A Development Player with a lethal jump-shot of his own, Triplett says learning from CG every day in practice is invaluable.

“For me learning off him, being around him every day, seeing his professionalism, seeing the way he goes about playing and training and all the work behind the scenes, it’s really good to see and will really help me and the future.

“We talk about communication and how we use that to create energy, and he’s the guy that’s always leading from the front in that area.”

Tickets remain available to see CG43 suit up for the milestone game this weekend as United face off against Illawarra in Game 2 of the LifeChanger Cup series.

The game, which will double as United’s annual Member Appreciation Game, is set to be a massive one with huge top-four implications.