WWAG NBL24 Match Recap - Round 12 v Perth Wildcats

In what is always one of the highlights of the season, Melbourne United opened up the roof at John Cain Arena to start their blockbuster clash against Perth.

After a strong opening saw Luke Travers tally five quick points, turnovers and second chance opportunities hurt the home side, allowing the Wildcats to go on a run.

Needing a boost, United’s bench provided great energy, with Ian Clark, Tanner Krebs and Flynn Cameron all hitting the scoreboard.

Despite this, Perth were able to take a five point lead into the first break.

Not satisfied with his first-quarter display, Clark started the second period hot, scoring seven points in the opening few minutes.

Ariel Hukporti then made his presence felt, swatting a shot at the hoop leading directly to a Shea Ili layup before throwing down a monster slam a few possessions later.

This, paired with a couple of Chris Goulding triples allowed Melbourne to cut into the Wildcats lead, pulling within five points, however the visitors held tough, maintaining an eight-point advantage at half time.

When action resumed following an unforgettable fireworks display, Jo Lual-Acuil Jr did his best to propel United into a winning position.

After a scoreless first half, JLA tallied eight points in quick succession, closing the gap to as little as three points.

Impressive buckets from Goulding and Hukporti, as well as a tough Kyle Bowen putback kept Melbourne within striking distance, however Perth seemed to have an answer for everything United did on the other end.

This allowed the Wildcats to stay in front by eight points going into the fourth quarter.

Fuelled by the sold out John Cain Arena crowd, United went on an enormous run to start the period.

Three three-pointers; one from Clark and two from Luke Travers, closed the gap to just one point before Lual-Acuil Jr slammed home a dunk to give Melbourne their first lead since the first quarter.

Culminating in a Goulding triple, United outscored the Wildcats 21-6 over the opening minutes, bringing the crowd to their feet.

As he had the whole game, Perth star Bryce Cotton hit back with force, leading a charge which saw the Wildcats go up by four with 30 seconds remaining.

Needing to be perfect, Chris Goulding showcased exactly why he is one of the NBL’s all-time greats, splashing another three.

After a Cotton missed free-throw, Jo Lual-Acuil Jr drew contact and went to the line in the final seconds, knocking down both his attempts to send the game into overtime.

Once the extra period began, it was Ian Clark who proved to be United’s game-winner.

The NBA and NBL champion scored 13 points in the extra period, including a banked-in three-pointer with time expiring on the shot clock to ice the game.

In the end, Melbourne came away with a six point victory, improving their all-time Open Air Game record to 8-2.

United will head on the road for the next month due to the Australian Open. Their next game will come on New Year’s Eve against the Cairns Taipans from 7:30pm.

Fans can tune in on ESPN via Kayo and Foxtel.