IN a tough, gritty 40 minutes of basketball, Melbourne United lifted with a number of clutch baskets to win by nine points at John Cain Arena over the New Zealand Breakers.

The Breakers returned after spending time in the United States for the NBLxNBA games, while United looked to maintain their pace with the top two.

United controlled the game for most of the first quarter, while the Breakers struggled to contain United from two-point range. United’s ball movement found easy opportunities to score, going into quarter time. The Breakers rewarded themselves with effort on the offensive end, going on a 30-19 scoring run. They drove to the basket, running in transition, with Parker Jackson-Cartwright and Zylan Cheatham combining well, helping give the Breakers a one-point lead.

In the second half, whilst both teams continued their scoring swings of scoring, the game came down to the final few minutes of the game. The Breakers continued to hustle hard, but United were able to get key stops down the stretch and hit key three-pointers to seal the victory.

Jo Lual Acuil and Ian Clark lifted when the game was on the line, with Lual-Acuil being a big presence inside the post. Clark shot well from the perimeter, hitting the clutch shot to seal victory in the final 38 seconds.

Melbourne United coach Dean Vickerman said his side’s second quarter after coming out strongly in the first term.

“We attacked the paint unbelievably in the first quarter,” he said. “We had errors, we had turnovers, New Zealand ran on us. We took care a bit better of the ball in the second half.”

Vickerman also spoke about the involvement of getting Lual Acuil and the impact he made on the game.

“We’re trying to get his fitness at the highest level possible to play him in the longest stretches,” he said. “Ariel Hukporti has been playing so well and he had a good game. Ariel had that fourth foul and we brought Jo in and straight away the boys go straight to Jo.”

Lual-Acuil spoke about the double teaming in the first half and the strategies going into the second.

“We did a good job to manipulate the play that we needed to do and took the shots that I saw,” he said.

Lual-Acual also mentioned the talent and the team’s building chemistry.

“That’s the thing, whoever is going on that night, we go to them,” he said. “I’m just a basketball player, I’m wide to score and willing to pass it but if I see someone open, I’m going to pass it. It’s an area of my game that I want to focus on to get good at and I’m looking forward to showing that part of my game.”