IN the first of Sunday’s games in Round 5 of the National Basketball League (NBL), veteran sharpshooter Chris Goulding led Melbourne United past a valiant Illawarra Hawks side at John Cain Arena.

Melbourne came into the game at the top of the table in reasonably comfortable fashion after a number of contenders were upset over the weekend. However, the Hawks were coming off a gutsy and thrilling win over the Taipans, producing their best performance in weeks and announcing their intent to recover from a poor start to the season.

The Hawks started the game strongly, silencing the home crowd by jumping out to a double-digit lead early in the match. After a high-scoring first half, United restricted the visitors to 33 points in the final two quarters, while continuing a consistent offensive output at the same time. In the end, Melbourne claimed a 12-point win over Illawarra, its sixth in a row to remain the best team in the NBL to start the 2023/24 fixture.

There was no one more important to United’s win than their captain in Goulding, who was as damaging as ever when shooting the ball.

Melbourne United (96) def. Illawarra Hawks (84)

Chris Goulding – 33 points, three rebounds, one assist

Although the team recruited heavily and added plenty of star power over the off-season, Goulding remains integral to Melbourne’s success, and that was perfectly displayed on Sunday afternoon in the win over the Hawks.

Goulding’s 33 points was a game-high total, as he put the offence on his back given the team was missing some key contributors on the scoring front. With Luke Travers suffered a knee scare in the second term, Goulding became even more important, and showed what he can still do with ball in hand.

When the Hawks were firing in the first half, Melbourne’s captain was vital in keeping United in striking distance. Goulding poured in 21 of his 33 points in the first half, doing what he does best and knocking down five triples in the process.

He added two more three-pointers for the match to finish with seven by the time the final quarter finished, remaining as present a threat from behind the arc as he has ever been. His consistent movement off the ball continues to create separation from the defence, and when left wide open, there is no one more laser-like from downtown.

It was a vintage performance from Goulding, who showcased how much he can hit the scoreboard if he plays more of a selfish role. He continues to be one of Melbourne’s most crucial cogs and has plenty more big moments ahead.