In a clash of NBL rivals, Melbourne United proved once again why they have been the nemesis of the Brisbane Bullets in recent years. Not even a late power outage at the Brisbane Entertainment Centre could derail United as they charged to a convincing 120-103 victory on Thursday night.
The lights may have gone out with just over three minutes remaining, but Melbourne’s determination never flickered. Leading 104-89 when the power failed, United picked up right where they left off after a nearly 30-minute delay to close out their 12th consecutive win over Brisbane dating back to March 2021.
United Bounce Back in Style
Coming off a humbling 34-point loss to the league-leading New Zealand Breakers in their previous outing, Melbourne wasted little time getting back on track against a Brisbane team celebrating captain Mitch Norton’s 350th NBL appearance.
The Bullets burst out of the gates, with Keandre Cook scoring eight quick points to spur a 10-2 lead. But United soon found their rhythm, pushing the tempo and exploiting mismatches to surge ahead by double digits in the first half.
Loe, Goulding Light It Up from Deep
A deadly three-point shooting display from Rob Loe and Chris Goulding fueled Melbourne’s early onslaught. The veteran duo combined for six triples to put United in control at the main break.
Goulding connected on his fifth three-pointer early in the third quarter before Loe drilled his third and fourth treys of the period to stretch the margin to 16. By the time the power unexpectedly cut out late in the final term, Melbourne’s lead was insurmountable.
It was a strange situation with the power going out like that, but we stayed focused, kept our intensity high, and finished the job.
– Melbourne guard Shea Ili
Record Night for Loe as United’s Depth Shines
Loe was simply unstoppable, pouring in a career-high 30 points on 7-of-9 shooting from beyond the arc. The sharpshooting big man eclipsed his previous best of 28 points, set during his 192-game NBL career.
Goulding was similarly brilliant, tallying 21 points and 3 assists while drilling 5 three-pointers of his own. With Jack White (17 points) and Ian Clark (18 points) also shining, United showcased the depth and firepower that has made them such a formidable foe for Brisbane.
Bullets Battling Inconsistency, Injuries
The loss dropped Brisbane to 3-5 on the season, having played a league-low eight games over the opening rounds. The Bullets’ hopes of a late comeback were not only hampered by the power failure, but also an ugly left leg injury to veteran forward Jarred Bairstow.
It’s been a tough start to the season for us with the injuries and schedule. We need to find ways to be more consistent, especially defensively, if we want to turn things around.
– Brisbane coach James Duncan
Cook led Brisbane with 23 points, while Casey Prather added 21 points and 8 rebounds in a losing effort. Josh Bannan chipped in 14 points and Norton finished with 12 points on his milestone night.
United March On as Rivalry Resumes Sunday
Melbourne’s latest triumph marked their 15th win in their past 17 meetings with Brisbane. It also extended a remarkable streak that has seen United avoid back-to-back losses for nearly two years.
The teams will renew their recently lopsided rivalry on Sunday afternoon in Melbourne. Brisbane, facing a nine-day break after the defeat, will aim to regroup and find a way to finally solve the United puzzle.
But as Thursday’s events demonstrated, not even a power outage can slow down Melbourne when they hit their stride against their Queensland foes. United’s depth, balance and ability to deliver in the face of adversity have them well placed to maintain their stranglehold in this matchup.
