Goulding Makes History as United Stay Perfect in Brisbane

Chris Goulding climbed another rung on NBL history’s ladder and Melbourne United survived a furious Brisbane comeback to stay unbeaten with a 95–86 win at Brisbane Entertainment Centre on Friday night.

In just his second game back from a quad injury, Goulding lit up his former club with 22 points and three long-range daggers in the first half, passing John Rillie to move into third on the NBL’s all-time three-point list. It was vintage Goulding — confident, efficient, and ruthless — as United built a 20-point cushion and looked set for another routine victory.

But former league MVP Jaylen Adams had other ideas. Relegated to the bench after a slow start to the season, the Brisbane guard erupted in the fourth quarter, almost single-handedly dragging his side back into the game. Adams scored 15 of his 29 points in the final period, sparking an 18–1 Bullets run that sliced Melbourne’s lead to just three.

With the game suddenly on a knife-edge, United’s composure shone through. Milton Doyle steadied the ship, scoring eight of his 17 points in the final two minutes, while Goulding and Tanner Krebs made clutch plays to ensure the league leaders held firm to move to 6–0.

Tyson Walker endured a rough night offensively, finishing with just five points on 1-of-10 shooting, but he impacted the game elsewhere with a club-record eight steals and six assists. Big man Jesse Edwards provided defensive presence inside, while Doyle’s closing flourish sealed it after Adams’ late fireworks.

For Goulding, the night carried extra significance. He began his NBL journey as a development player on Brisbane’s 2007 championship team — and fittingly, it was against the Bullets that he made history, now trailing only Damian Martin and Rhys Carter on the all-time list for threes made.

Melbourne again set the tone early, exploding to a 10–1 lead with triples to Krebs and Doyle. They were up 31–16 by quarter-time, then pushed the margin to 19 before halftime as Goulding caught fire. United’s defensive structure and ball movement were in sync, their execution clinical.

Brisbane’s fightback began with Adams finally hitting his first three-pointer of the season to open the second half. From there, he and Casey Prather combined to energise the home side. Prather added 26 points, seven rebounds, and four steals in another standout performance, while Tyrell Harrison continued his breakout season with 16 points, 11 rebounds, and three blocks.

Still, the Bullets couldn’t recover from the early damage. Injuries again hampered them — NBA champion Alex Ducas lasted just two minutes before leaving with a leg injury, adding to a list that already included Sam McDaniel and captain Mitch Norton.

By the time Adams trimmed the deficit to three in the final three minutes, United’s experience told. Doyle hit a pair of cold-blooded threes, and Walker’s steal-and-score sealed the deal.

Melbourne remains the benchmark at 6–0, blending veteran poise with relentless defence and depth. Brisbane, now 2–5, will rue the slow start but can take heart from Adams’ resurgence.

United return home to John Cain Arena on Sunday to host the New Zealand Breakers, while the Bullets head to Auckland next Thursday to face the same opponent.

Final score: Melbourne United 95 defeated Brisbane Bullets 86.