Crowd silenced by United and virus

BRISBANE supporters at Nissan Arena for the NBL match on Friday night were asked to “refrain from shouting” as part of a new Queensland Health COVID directive.

But sharpshooter Chris Goulding, pictured, and Melbourne United also managed to silence the coronavirus-allowable hand-clapping and feet-stomping as they maintained their perfect start to the 2021 season with a 109-96 win over the Bullets.

Boomers guard Goulding hit four three-pointers in the final quarter on the way to 27 points to lead United to a 4-0 season start for only the second time in club history.

Brisbane’s Nathan Sobey (27 points, six rebounds, three assists) and Vic

Law (20 points, seven rebounds, four assists) battled manfully to try and give the

Bullets their third-straight winm but Goulding got plenty of help with five teammates hitting double figures including Jock Landale (20 points, 12 rebounds) and Scotty Hopson (16 points).

The lights went out momentarily in the third quarter when United made their move, getting out to a nine-point buffer before taking a twopoint advantage into the last break. Goulding hit two dagger three-pointers to start the fourth quarter but Brisbane slowly dragged itself back into the contest only for Landale and Mitch McCarron to hit triples from beyond the arc to give United breathing room.

Goulding then stepped up late with two more threepointers to ice the game.

Brisbane led by five points at quarter-time and by just one at halftime.