Crosscourt: NBL grand final Game One special edition – the halftime roast that inspired comeback
For all Chris Goulding’s late heroics, it’s a moment of elite leadership that spurred Melbourne United to come from the clouds in front of a hostile Illawarra Hawks grand final crowd.
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Chris Goulding is known for his potent shooting, but it was his leadership that helped Melbourne United beat the Illawarra Hawks to steal game one of the championship series on the road in the NBL’s most intimidating environment.
United backup guard Tanner Krebs revealed how Goulding, who had a quiet game up until a fourth-quarter explosion, inspired the players with a timely halftime spray.
Melbourne looked flat trailing by 10 points at the break, shooting just 17-41 from the field (41.5 per cent), 4-16 from three (25 per cent) and added six turnovers.
Enter Goulding with some choice words in the locker room.
“We weren’t good enough in that first-half and Chris told us,” Krebs told Crosscourt.
“There is a lot of experience in our group, but it has really been CG (Goulding) driving us with his talk and accountability.
“We’ve been a solution-based team and there was a lot of discussion at halftime about how to be better.
“Chris drove that and when he speaks, we listen.
“It was a fantastic second half. We came out, stuck to the game plan and it paid off.”
United big man Marcus Lee also credited Goulding’s words for motivating the side’s second-half surge.
“The big thing going into half was ‘trust the process’ and that’s something Chris has been saying all playoffs and I think everybody’s kind of fallen in line and trusted that as our guide,” Lee said.
Goulding showcased his class to overcome a slow start blocking out the hostile Illawarra faithful, who booed him every time he touched the basketball.
He had just four points on 2-6 from the field and hadn’t made a single three heading into fourth quarter.
But, as he has done throughout his stellar career, Goulding found a way to step up when it mattered most.
He drained 11 points in the fourth quarter, including two timely triples, to steer United home.
Goulding also had a season-high four assists which, according to Krebs, highlights the layers to the champion guard’s game.
“Chris is incredibly selfless and he knows every time he steps onto the floor there is going to be a lot of attention on him,” he said.
“Tonight was no exception. He did a great job using his gravity to get another guys involved.
“Then when it mattered he was able to get open and make big plays.
“He is just patient – that is the best thing about him. He doesn’t need to go out and score early, but you know you can count on him when it matters.”
Melbourne’s big-game experience came through against Illawarra inside a sold out stadium filled with Hawks fans baying for blue blood.
The 6000-capacity WIN Entertainment Centre is like a barnyard when it’s full and the Illawarra faithful aren’t afraid to let the opposition team know how they feel.
Krebs says United fed off the energy of being public enemy No.1.
“It was loud – the Hawks have got fantastic fans, really passionate,” he said.
TATUM STILL UNDER SPOTLIGHT
Illawarra Hawks coach Justin Tatum still faces the prospect of a ‘please explain’ from the NBL’s Integrity Unit after a tense verbal exchange with referee Vaughan Mayberry during last week’s semi-final win over the Phoenix.
Tatum caught the eye of the integrity unit when he yelled at Mayberry following a contentious decision to eject Hawks forward Dan Grida.
“Nobody’s talking to you Vaughan, you don’t like my kind,” Tatum was heard to say on the NBL’s broadcast.
Crosscourt understands Tatum’s comments are still being assessed and it’s likely they’ll contact the Hawks’ coach for an explanation.
It comes as Mayberry missed game one of the championship series to stay behind in Queensland and help his family deal with Cyclone Alfred.
His absence had some pundits wondering if the incident with Tatum played a role, but the NBL’s referee of the year is expected to return for Wednesday’s game two at John Cain Arena.
CLARK CALLS OUT FAN
Melbourne United’s bench weapon Ian Clark went out of his way to call out an Illawarra fan for comments aimed at him during the fourth quarter of Saturday’s game one win over the Hawks.
A clearly aggrieved Clark made a point of telling the supporter that his remarks weren’t appreciated.
“Don’t call me boy – I ain’t your boy”, Clark was be heard to say.
The fan was spoken to and warned by both stadium security and NBL integrity officer Shannon Bodley, who was in attendance.
Clark, an NBL and NBA champion, put aside the distraction to finish with 13 points, including three of seven from range.
The 34-year-old was frustrated at the time by the fan’s comments, but Crosscourt has been told he is firmly focused on Wednesday’s game two in Melbourne and leading United to the title.
PHONE CALL FROM AFAR THAT SPARKED LEE’S GAME ONE STUNNER
Melbourne’s game one grand final hero Marcus Lee has revealed one of his best NBL performances was inspired by one of the men who brought about United’s downfall in last season’s decider.
Lee, who had 14 points on a perfect 7-7 shooting, a career-high 15 rebounds and two blocks, to help United put away Illawarra said a pre-game phone call with Jack McVeigh helped him focus on the task at hand.
Lee and McVeigh were teammates on the Tasmania team that beat United in five games in last season’s grand final, the JackJumpers’ forward named MVP of the series after famously hitting ‘The Shot’ in game three.
Now in Houston on a two-way deal, cycling between the Rockets NBA team and its G League affiliate, McVeigh remains close with his former teammate Lee.
“I was on the phone with Jack McVeigh before the game. It was ‘good luck’ and it was more of a he had seen a couple of highlights and was just hoping that I can keep going,” Lee said.
“It’s good to have guys like that in your circle.”
The pair has helped each other from afar.
“I’m constantly watching what he’s doing out there, trying to keep up and have conversations with him, because I’ve been in that situation of bouncing back in the G League, and it’s not easy,” Lee said.
“So helping him as much as possible, and just keeping him on a high mentally because he’s doing a great job.
“I talk to all the guys back in Tassie all the time and it’s just great to hear their rooting me on, still.”
Lee, now hunting back-to-back titles, spoke with Code Sports from the airport a day after their rousing win over the Hawks and had to fend off distractions from jubilant teammates.
“Oh man, I love it here, It’s great to be with the guys and being with a great organisation,” he said.
BLANCHFIELD TO THE STARTING LINEUP?
Illawarra Hawks coach Justin Tatum has been urged to take a risk and start in-form veteran Todd Blanchfield in game two in a bid to spread the floor.
NBL commentator Peter Hooley – who played 66 NBL games and won a championship with United in 2018 – sees the benefit in giving Blanchfield more time to create space for deadly back-court duo Tyler Harvey and Trey Kell.
“Space plays a massive role in how the Hawks play, so I’d start Blanchfield or bring him on early and Kell and Harvey will have a whole world of room to operate,” Hooley said.
“I think Tatum can make it easier by some of the line-ups and rotations by putting in a Blanchfield or a (Darius) Days to make the defence gravitate towards that.
“It will create more space and he (Kell) is a space player. So, being able to slow down and set hard screens as he operates in the mid-range.”
In game one, Blanchfield came off the bench and scored 13 points, including three of seven (42.9 per cent) from range, backing up from a 28-point, eight-trey effort against South East Melbourne.
UNITED’S DEFENSIVE DEMONS
If Melbourne United goes on to win the NBL25 championship, you can bet their dogged back-court duo Matthew Dellavedova and Shea Ili will be front and centre.
Dellavedova and Ili were at their brilliant best in game one, putting on a defensive masterclass to shut down Hawks’ All NBL First Team guards Tyler Harvey and Trey Kell.
The pair held Harvey and Kell to a combined 15 points on 7-21 shooting.
Krebs told Crosscourt it was a joy to play alongside a legend like Delly, who has won an NBA championship and Olympic bronze.
“He is one of Australia’s most iconic basketballer players, probably of all-time,” Krebs said of Delly, who scored a game-high 18 points in the win.
“To have him on your team, leading you and putting out performances like that …”
Krebs praised Ili, crediting the New Zealander with shifting the momentum United’s way in the third quarter.
“Shea came out and just drove our defence with his intensity, diving on the floor and making big plays,” he said.
“When you see a guy do that it just makes you want to replicate that.”
UNITED’S UNSUNG FINALS HERO
The lot of backing up the best shooter in the entire NBL is one of much warming the bench, while being ready to be called upon at any moment.
That’s been the lot of United forward Tanner Krebs as Chris Goulding averages 27 minutes per game.
But the 29-year-old has stayed ready and lifted his efficiency and effort through the roof, converting a ridiculous two out of every three attempts from the three-point line.
Against the Hawks, as United struggled with Goulding in foul trouble, Krebs went 3-4 from deep, draining a trey in each of the first three quarters keep his team within striking distance
The five rebounds matched his second-best effort of the season and, while the stars will get all the credit, Krebs was integral.
“We talked about how we had to win a game here in Illawarra and ideally we get it done early and we went out and did that,” Krebs said, post-game.
“It was a big win.”
TANNER KREBS AVERAGES
Regular season: 13 mins – 5.3 points, 39.2 per cent FG, 37.1 per cent 3PFG, 1.9 rebounds
NBL finals: 10 mins – 5.5 points, 72.7 per cent FG, 62.5 per cent 3PFG, 2.8 rebounds
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