NBL grand final: Melbourne United win game one over Adelaide 36ers

Melbourne United opened the NBL grand final series with an impressive 107-96 victory over the Adelaide 36ers.

Melbourne United’s Chris Goulding shoots against Adelaide 36ers during game one of the NBL grand final at Hisense Arena. Picture: Getty Images

Melbourne United opened the NBL grand final series with an impressive 107-96 victory over the Adelaide 36ers last night.

The minor premiers recovered from an injury scare to all-NBL guard Casper Ware to dominate the second half at Hisense Arena and take a 1-0 lead in the best-of-five championship series.

Ware injured his left hip after a first-quarter collision with Adelaide centre Matt Hodgson and sat out the rest of a hotly-contested first half.

The home side managed to slow Adelaide’s offence in the second quarter to take a 53-47 lead into halftime and Chris Goulding scored 13 of his game-high 26 points in the third quarter to swing the game United’s way.

Adelaide tried valiantly to fight back in the final quarter but Ware shut the door on the 36ers with three long-range bombs on his way to a 20-point night. Centre Josh Boone added 17 points and seven offensive rebounds while Casey Prather added 13. Adelaide had six players finish in double figures with Daniel Johnson (18 points) and Mitch Creek (14 points and nine rebounds) leading the way. But they could not match United’s outside shooting as the home side nailed 13 three-pointers to Adelaide’s two.

Melbourne flew out of the blocks with a 7-0 start but the visitors picked up the pace to lead by three before Ware completed a four-point play to put United back in front.

Creek and Ramone Moore helped build a seven-point lead for Adelaide in the second quarter but Prather kept United in touch before reserve guard Peter Hooley nailed a three-pointer to put United back in front.

The home side closed the half by restricting Adelaide’s scoring to a pair of free throws in the final three minutes to lead by six.

Johnson and Josh Childress gave Adelaide a boost in the third quarter but after falling behind by six, United veteran David Barlow hit a triple and Goulding reeled off eight points as Melbourne surged to a 79-71 edge after three quarters.

AAP