Vickerman praises United’s composure

Written by Melbourne United Media

Coming off a pair of important victories that lifted Melbourne United back above .500 in Round 15, Head Coach Dean Vickerman praised the composure of his playing group.

United didn’t trail for a second across their two victories, but found themselves weathering huge runs against both the Breakers and Bullets.

“There’s been good composure recently from this group,” Vickerman said.

“We’re not getting too high or too low in situations… I love the way that we’ve just handled things, gotten back to our defensive rules, making sure that we’re sharing the basketball and screening well and trusting each other.”

One of the players that showcased their composure in Round 15 was Rayjon Tucker who bounced back after quiet showing in New Zealand.

After scoring just seven points across the ditch, Tucker showcased his resilience, registering a 30-point performance, his third in his past eight games, against the Bullets.

Over his past 10 games, Tucker has been one of the league’s most dangerous scorers, averaging 19.7 points per game while shooting 40% from long range.

Speaking after Melbourne's win on Saturday night, Tucker said his recent form is a result of the confidence he has felt from those around him.

“I’m settling in (to the NBL) but that comes from the confidence that my teammates and Deano have given me.

“The extra work that I put in with Rhys Carter and Dmack (Darryl McDonald) coming out of that FIBA break just to work on my shot and expand my game in different aspects. The scouting report on me had to change which opened things up for CG, Shea Ili, XRM and the other guys on the team.”

With just three games remaining on United’s schedule, Tucker said his side is going to continue playing with relentless energy in hopes of making the postseason.

“We’re super desperate. That’s how we’ve played for the last couple of weeks. Just that relentlessness and desperation to give ourselves the best opportunity to make that playoff berth because we feel like we are a championship calibre team.”

Melbourne United will next face the Adelaide 36ers on the road on Saturday night from 8pm.

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