Welcome home not likely for Goulding

HE’S one of the greatest basketballers the state has ever produced but Melbourne United captain Chris Goulding will be public enemy No.1 in Tasmania on New Year’s Day as he looks to thwart the NBL’s newest franchise, the Tasmania JackJumpers.

Goulding has been in imperious form since returning from a hamstring injury three games into the season. In his first game back, United opened its account in emphatic circumstances, restricting the Sydney Kings to its lowest total in club history.

Goulding has shot the most or equal most three-pointers of any player on the floor in each of his three games this year, helping United turn a two-game skid into a threegame winning streak.

The skipper needs to make only one more basket from downtown to record his 600th three-pointer for United – more than twice as many as the club’s next best.

Another milestone awaits Goulding this weekend: playing against a Tasmanian NBL team in the state of his birth for the first time in his career.

“There are so many things that he brings to the team through his leadership, through his desire to win, structure-wise, through his ability to stretch the court out a little bit further,” coach Dean Vickerman said of his captain.

While the JackJumpers have won only one of their last five outings, the contrast in the sides’ form won’t give United reason to take the Taswegians lightly.

“They’re a new team … so there’s a bit of an element of the unknown,” United forward David Barlow said.

“They’re obviously a talented team that plays hard and mixes it up defensively.”