IT was another exciting and entertaining Sunday of National Basketball League (NBL) games with another triple header. With Melbourne United and the New Zealand Breakers kicking off game one of the triple header, this game meant a lot to both teams. In the end, United proved far too strong and ran away with the 23-point win, 83-60.

The defending champions United were looking to back up after a strong and dominant performance against the Sydney Kings on Thursday night, and getting their season back on track.

For the Breakers, after a tough double over-time loss against Illawarra on Friday night and having a tough start to the season on the road and looking to kick start their season. After losing their captain Thomas Abercrombie, going down with an ankle injury against Illawarra on Friday night, the Breakers were desperate to find others to step up.

For United, welcoming back Jack White was a massive inclusion to the team, after going through a tough eight and a half months out with an Achillies injury and hoping to continue to build from where he left off before that injury last season.

It was Melbourne United off jumping out of blocks early, with a 14-4 lead, causing concerns for the Breakers to get back into the match and find some scoring power offensively, missing layups and turnovers hurting the Breakers.

Caleb Agada and Jo Lual Acuil were the shining lights for Melbourne, teaming up well together offensively and providing the energy in the first quarter. Going into the quarter time break, United were up by seven points, 21-14.

To the Breakers credit, they fought hard in the second quarter, being more competitive after the quarter time break and putting the pressure back on United to find some answers. A number of the Breakers players stepped up, with Sam Timmins making his debut in the NBL, William McDowell-White and Finn Delany reducing the margin to four points mid-way through the quarter.

Going into half time break, Melbourne United held onto a three-point margin, 34-31. Agada was terrific for United with 12 points, and Lual Acuil recorded eight. For the Breakers, Yannick Wetzell continued his presence with eight points and McDowell-White with seven

Whilst the Breakers were dominant on the defensive glass, 23-14, Melbourne certainly shot the three ball were shooting at 3/6 (50 per cent), whilst for the Breakers, it was something to address shooting at 2/12 (16.7 per cent). For field goals, Melbourne shot at 13/31 (41.1 per cent), whilst for the Breakers, shooting at 12/34 (35.3 per cent).

To start the second half, Chris Goulding was on song, stepping up when the team needed it most, nailing six three-points, making it tough for the  Breakers getting back into the contest and searching for answers.

Lual-Achil and Aganda continued their strong performance with a strong third quarter, with United making the most of their opportunities hitting shots, whilst for the Breakers, not finding an answer to Goulding made it tough, aswell as not capialising their shots offensively and turning the ball over.

With Melbourne winning the quarter, 18-12, Melbourne went into the three quarter time break with a nine point  lead, 52-43.

To start the last quarter, Wetzell made a layup to reduce the margin to seven. From there, Ariel Hukporti nailed a two-point jump shot to extend the margin back to nine. With Ousmane Dieng hitting a great two-point shot and Hukporti dunking a great shot, Delany hit a crucial three-pointer to reduce to margin to six.

Just as the Breakers got back into it, Melbourne stormed home with key players stepping up when it mattered mostly and didn’t miss a beat, shooting the lights out offensively and getting those defensive stops.

With 5.20 left in the match, a Chris Goulding three-pointer sealed the game for Melbourne, extending the margin back to 11 points.   From there, the Breakers had no answers for the rest of the game as Melbourne ended the match with another convincing win and winning the match, 83-60.

Goulding won Player of the Match, finishing with 21 points, shooting at 46 per cent, and shooting from the three-point line at 53 per cent (7/13). White was solid in his return, playing 18 minutes, six points, eight rebounds and two blocks.

Other key standouts for United were Agada with 20 points, five rebounds and three assists, Lual-Acuil with 12 points and nine rebounds, close to a double-double and Hukporti with 11 points and seven rebounds.  

For the Breakers, Delaney had a strong performance with 14 points, nine rebounds and four assists, while Wetzell had 12 points and four rebounds.

Whilst United were dominate in most categories, the Breakers were dominate on the rebounding category, 43-37. United shot the ball from field goal 32/66 (48 per cent), Breakers were 23/69 (33 per cent).

Both teams will have a single match to play in Round 4 over the Christmas/Boxing Day weekend, with the Breakers heading to Tasmania to play the Tasmania JackJumpers at MyState Bank Arena, whilst for Melbourne United, they head to Sydney looking for redemption after the Round 1 loss up against the Sydney Kings.