The cool hand of Chris Goulding has delivered Melbourne United a thrilling 97-96 home win over the Illawarra Hawks on Thursday night and top spot on the NBL ladder.
Goulding hit three crucial free throws in the final minute, but it was a brain fade from star Hawks big man AJ Ogilvy in the third quarter that ultimately cost his team first place on the standings, they now sit fourth with an 11-8 record.
After Goulding (27 points) barged through Hawk Rhys Martin in the open court, Ogilvy retaliated and was pinged for an unsportsmanlike foul.
Goulding made both resulting free throws, Hakim Warrick (20 points) was fouled on a one-handed jam on the following possession and Melbourne unleashed a devastating 24-9 run to set up a seemingly match-winning lead.
But Illawarra produced a long-range storm to charge back into the game, landing five-of-eight three-pointers to pinch a two-point lead with 80 seconds to play before Goulding delivered from the stripe when it mattered.
The Hawks had won seven of their past eight games - their only loss in double-overtime - while Melbourne had tasted victory just twice in their past five outings, but the hosts were a team on a mission, constantly answering the Hawks' challenges.
Todd Blanchfield found Majok Majok for an early power dunk that set the sell-out crowd alight, but eight late points from Kevin Lisch gave the Hawks a 32-19 quarter-time edge, then triples to Lisch, Penney and Kevin White from offensive rebounds extended the lead to seven.
Daniel Kickerts buzzer-beater dragged Melbourne back within three at halftime before a shoot-out broke out in the third term, the teams combining for 21 points in the opening three minutes.
Ogilvy (3 points, 5 fouls) then had his explosion and United pounced with the MVP favourite on the bench, roof-raising dunks from Warrick and Blanchfield punctuating the stunning run that turned a five-point deficit into a 10-point lead at the final break.
It all-but evaporated within two minutes in the fourth, however, Kirk Penney (20 points), Oscar Forman and Cody Ellis all nailed long bombs to open the final stanza and set up a grandstand finish.
Share
