IN WHAT was a scrappy, down-to-the-wire match in the National Basketball League (NBL) on Thursday night, Melbourne United were able to just barely scrape past the Cairns Taipans, securing the victory away from home, 89-85.

Although the game started off very slowly, Cairns was able to gain a small lead, which the Taipans maintained throughout the whole game, until the fourth quarter where United had their season high points in a quarter with 33. Due to this, the visitors were able to gather together a hard-fought win, one that they desperately needed.

Jack McVeigh struggled throughout, but in the fourth quarter, he was able to step up and consistently and finally was able to be the go-to guy whom the Taipans could rely on against the flow. He ended the game with 25 points and eight rebounds, shooting 41 per cent.

Andrew Andrews, although having seven assists, crumbled under the pressure, shooting 18 per cent from three and giving away seven turnovers, including two back-to-back in the last minute of the game. Although he has been one of the best playmakers in the NBL this season, his turnover rate has been the highest in the league, and United were able to take advantage of that with suffocating defence from Tyson Walker, who is a maestro at picking off the ball from the handlers.

Reyne Smith finished the game with 11 points of his own in his second game back from injury, and while he was not able to consistently hit his signature three point shot, he was able to make up for that with three steals.

Milton Doyle was the story for United, coming off the bench and being aggressive, getting to the rim and scoring whenever he pleased. This was much needed in the fourth, as he was able to shine when the lights were the brightest. He finished with 25 points, including four three-pointers.

Jesse Edwards, although getting fouled out, was able to secure 13 rebounds, and as always was the anchor of the United’s interior defence. Walker, all throughout his 25 minutes of play, consistently applied pressure among the ball handlers defensively, picking off three steals and causing numerous turnovers from Andrews. Offensively, he was also able to get his points from anywhere, scoring 17.

Although they fell just short, the Taipans at a point now where their main focus will be to understand what the holes are within the team and how they can be fixed. New pieces will be needed for Cairns to be a contending team, and it is able to do just that to back up superstar McVeigh, the wins will soon start coming in, and it will look to at last be in the contender talk.

United have faced struggles throughout the second half of the season, and now with Shea Ili getting injured once again, a sense of urgency will be needed. While they have all the talent to win the league, their inconsistent play has been their biggest enemy, showcasing just that against the ninth-place Cairns team. Although United were able to gain momentum in the last period, they will need to bring that same energy against the top teams if they want to further their case as true contenders.