IN what was one of the most entertaining National Basketball League (NBL) games of the season, Melbourne United were able to claim a thrilling four-point victory over the Illawarra Hawks at WIN Entertainment Centre on Sunday afternoon. The match proved to be an absolute nail-biter, with both sides producing a high level of basketball for all four quarters, in what can be considered as a likely finals preview.

Leading the way for the victors was star guard Matthew Dellavedova, who produced his best performance in the NBL. His experience was on display as he managed to find the bottom of the net time after time on what was an outing full of leadership. It proved to be a match-winning performance, with the contest only decided by four points in the end, with Dellavedova leading the way with 33 points (including seven three-pointers), four rebounds and eight assists in what was one of the most impressive individual performances of the year.

FIRST QUARTER

Dellavedova’s match did not exactly start in ideal fashion, with the guard starting the first term with a turnover as he lost control of the ball at the hands of Illawarra’s Sam Froling. After missing a floater, ‘Delly’ was able to get his game going with a nice pass inside to teammate Jo Lual Acuil, who threw down the dunk. With his rhythm on the offensive end finally rolling, he brought the ball up the court a couple of possessions later to sink a smooth pull-up jumpshot from behind the three-point line. This aggressiveness continued throughout the term, with Dellavedova attacking the rim to find the bottom of the hoop from his layup attempt as he turned the term in his favour.

SECOND QUARTER

After starting the second quarter on the bench for some well-deserved rest, Dellavedova was substituted in three minutes into the period, and made an immediate impact. Displaying more of the aggressive play that served him well in the first term, he once again punished the Illawarra defence for some separation on defence by draining yet another long-range three. You would be forgiven for thinking he and Chris Goulding had swapped jersey’s before the tip-off, especially when Dellavedova swished yet another shot from behind the arc, courtesy of a Caleb Agada assist. He continued to be the main source of scoring for United, by producing another shot from downtown, although this one was more of a heat check as the Hawks players were beginning to pay more attention to his movements around the court. Heading into half-time, he had 19 points to his name thanks to his explosive second term.

THIRD QUARTER

With the defence beginning to collapse on him whenever the ball was in his hands, Dellavedova took a much more selfless approach to the third term. He found wide-open teammates on multiple occasions, displaying a high level of basketball IQ that has served him well for many years. He was still able to impact the scoreboard, splashing yet another two shots from behind the arc, the second of which was an incredibly smooth step-back jumper that got fans out of their seats.

FOURTH QUARTER

The final term saw the pass-first ways of Dellavedova continue, with some intense pressure coming from the Illawarra defenders. He continued to make the right pass that resulted in crucial scores for his team in the fourth period. The veteran was also able to sink some crucial free throws and make a pair of massive layups as he led his side to one of their best wins of the season, as he proved his ability to seriously hit the scoreboard in this competition, thanks to his accurate shooting from the field.