Melbourne United came away from the Far North with what can only be described as a straightforward victory over the Cairns Taipans 94-67 to extend their undefeated streak to eight games to start the season.
In contrast to their victory over the Snakes two weeks ago — in which they put up 25 unanswered points at one stage — the NBL powerhouses barely got out of a canter in this contest.
Their biggest scoring run in this encounter was a comparatively minuscule nine points
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The scoring load was evenly shared, with the usual suspects led by Chris Goulding all finding their opportunities to put points on the board.
The legendary Melburnian was able to have an early night, finishing with 14 points, while Finn Delany, Tyson Walker, Jesse Edwards and Milton Doyle all hit double digits in scoring on the night.
The Snakes simply lacked the offensive firepower to match the championship favourites, with the absences of Jack McVeigh and Sam Waardenburg becoming more and more glaring by the round.
With McVeigh’s wrist still in a brace, when Adam Forde can expect to see his star man back on court remains unclear.
United unbothered
Dean Vickerman’s men may really just be a class above this season.
While there’s plenty of basketball to be played in the 2025/26 season, Friday night’s performance seemed to have a sense of mundane inevitability about it.
Melbourne just seemed unbothered by it all, going about their business with a kind of ruthless efficiency that has been a hallmark of their performances so far this season.
With five players in double digits, it’s clear their playmakers and coaching staff didn’t feel the need to feed the hot hand or their stars.
Up and down the Scho-llercoaster
The opening quarter was more or less a microcosm of the season that’s been for Taipans import Admiral Schofield.
He opened up the game by showcasing that NBA pedigree which saw him play four seasons at the top level, scoring with a nifty move off the dribble for a layup, following that with a long range jumper to have his team’s first five points.
He followed that up with a pair of costly live ball turnovers, committing a clear path foul on the latter which cost his team two points and possession.
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He had some key rebounds on both ends of the court, but finished off the quarter in brutal fashion as he fouled Chris Goulding on a successful three point attempt.
The 28-year-old forward has been the subject of plenty of chatter online and in the media, especially after his post-game altercation with Wildcats Lat Mayen and Jo Lual-Acuil on Wednesday night.
Schofield’s impact on the remainder of the contest – especially in the second half – was dampened by foul trouble, and it’s unlikely this rollercoaster performance will quieten any of the aforementioned discussion.
Another day, another blowout
This is now the fifth blowout loss the Taipans have suffered this season, with only four of their games decided by less than 20 points.
It taps into a wider issue around large margins which has made its way into discussion across the league this season, with the Snakes certainly doing nothing to halt the talk of this being one of the least even seasons in NBL history on a game-by-game basis.
Match details:
Cairns Taipans 67 (Smith 13, Andrews 13, Schofield 11)
Melbourne United 94 (Goulding 14, Walker 13, Delany 11)
Venue: Cairns Convention Centre
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