NBL22 Match Recap: Round 8, Game 1 vs Adelaide 36ers

Melbourne United have solidified their spot atop the NBL22 ladder following a comfortable 19-point win over the Adelaide 36ers on the road.

United found themselves fighting out of an early hole thanks to some strong interior play from the Sixers’ pair of bigs.

Cam Bairstow and Daniel Johnson each scored six points in the opening six minutes of the game before Melbourne’s bench lifted the intensity.

The trio of Shea Ili, Brad Newley and Ariel Hukporti provided an instant spark, eracing the Adelaide lead before United pushed in front on the final play of the quarter.

With the clock winding down, Ili pulled up off the dribble to knock down a tough midrange jumper, giving Melbourne a 26-24 advantage going into the first break.

This momentum carried over for much of the second term, with United attacking from all over the court to take the build on their lead.

Chris Goulding and Newley each hit triples to start the term before Newley showcased his strength, taking the ball coast-to-coast for a tough layup despite being fouled.

This hot shooting spread to the rest of the team, as United connected on nine of their looks from beyond the arc on route to amassing a 15-point lead.

With the run of play firmly against the Sixers, Adelaide was able to showcase some resiliency, cutting the lead to seven points heading into half time.

Looking to get United rolling as soon as the second half started, Jo Lual-Acuil Jr scored four quick points, including a big putback dunk, and sent back a pair of rejections in the first few possessions of the third term.

Despite this momentum boost, the rest of the quarter was a back-and-forth arm wrestle, with neither team able to pull away from the other.

In the midst of this battle, Ariel Hukporti put together a strong showing, scoring six of his 12 points in the term, two of which came on the end of a flashy alley-oop slam.

Taking an eight-point lead into the fourth quarter, which has been United’s strongest period all season, Melbourne had an air of confidence surrounding them.

True to form, United clamped the Sixers in the final 10 minutes.

It was a full team effort, with all 12 players finding the court and making an impact in the contest.

In his 350th game, Dave Barlow showcased why he has been able to be so effective in the league for so long.

DB, along with Jack White, completely shut down Daniel Johnson, limiting the scorer to just two points after the first quarter.

With the defence firing, the defending champs opened the quarter with a 10-0 run before putting the game away.

Big A put an exclamation mark on the dominant fourth quarter, finishing an absurd alley oop to seal the deal on the 97-78 victory.

CG43 and JLA also put together strong performances, each tallying 18 points.

This marks the highest score United have tallied all season, and continues the side’s winning ways, extending their winning streak to seven games.

United’s next game will come on Australia Day when the team travels to Brisbane for a matchup with the Bullets.