2020–21 Melbourne United season

2020–21 Melbourne United season
NBL champions
Regular season champions
Head coachAustralia Dean Vickerman
Co-captainsAustralia Chris Goulding
Australia Mitch McCarron
ArenaJohn Cain Arena
NBL results
Record28–8 (77.8%)
Ladder1st
Finals finishChampions (6th title)
(Defeated Wildcats 3–0)
Stats at NBL.com.au
Cup results
Record4–4 (50%)
Ladder4th
Cup finishN/A
Player records
PointsAustralia Landale
16.4
ReboundsAustralia Landale
7.9
AssistsAustralia McCarron
5.1
EfficiencyAustralia Andersen
67%
All statistics correct as of 6 June 2021.

The 2020–21 NBL season was the 38th season for Melbourne United in the NBL, and the 7th under the banner of Melbourne United.

Roster

Note: Flags indicate national team eligibility at FIBA-sanctioned events. Players may hold other non-FIBA nationalities not displayed.

2020–21 Melbourne United roster
Players Coaches
Pos. No. Nat. Name Ht. Wt. Age
C 0 South Sudan Lual-Acuil, Jo 2.13 m (7 ft 0 in) 102 kg (225 lb) 30 – (1994-04-26)26 April 1994
G 5 Australia Short, Sam (DP) 1.95 m (6 ft 5 in) 78 kg (172 lb) 26 – (1998-02-11)11 February 1998
G 10 Australia McCarron, Mitch (C) 1.89 m (6 ft 2 in) 97 kg (214 lb) 32 – (1992-06-30)30 June 1992
F/C 13 Australia Andersen, David 2.11 m (6 ft 11 in) 113 kg (249 lb) 44 – (1980-06-23)23 June 1980
F 14 Australia White, Jack Injured 2.01 m (6 ft 7 in) 101 kg (223 lb) 27 – (1997-08-05)5 August 1997
G 18 Japan Baba, Yudai (SRP) 1.96 m (6 ft 5 in) 90 kg (198 lb) 29 – (1995-11-07)7 November 1995
F 20 Australia Barlow, David 2.05 m (6 ft 9 in) 97 kg (214 lb) 41 – (1983-10-22)22 October 1983
F 22 Australia Peatling, Mason (DP) 2.03 m (6 ft 8 in) 100 kg (220 lb) 27 – (1997-03-31)31 March 1997
G 30 Australia McDaniel, Sam 1.98 m (6 ft 6 in) 95 kg (209 lb) 29 – (1995-12-09)9 December 1995
F 32 United States Hopson, Scotty (I) 2.01 m (6 ft 7 in) 104 kg (229 lb) 35 – (1989-08-08)8 August 1989
F 34 Australia Landale, Jock 2.11 m (6 ft 11 in) 116 kg (256 lb) 29 – (1995-10-25)25 October 1995
G 43 Australia Goulding, Chris (C) 1.92 m (6 ft 4 in) 92 kg (203 lb) 36 – (1988-10-24)24 October 1988
G 51 New Zealand Ili, Shea 1.83 m (6 ft 0 in) 85 kg (187 lb) 32 – (1992-10-06)6 October 1992
Head coach
Assistant coach(es)
Strength & conditioning coach(es)
  • Australia Nik Popovic
Team manager
  • Australia Stephan Semerci
Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • (DP) Development player
  • (IN) Inactive
  • (I) Import player
  • (SRP) Special restricted player
  • (NS) Next Star player
  • Injured Injured
Updated: 8 May 2021

Transactions

Signings

Main article: List of 2020–21 NBL season transactions
  • Mitch McCarron, Shea Ili, Casey Prather, Jo Lual-Acuil and Sam Short all remained with the club after they previously signed multiple season contracts.[1] Head Coach Dean Vickerman and assistant coach Ross McMains also remained with the club under their multiple season contracts.
  • On 15 July 2020, United signed their first new contract for the season. Jack White of Duke University signed a three-season deal with the club.[2]
  • On 17 July 2020, guard Chris Goulding re-signed with the club on a three-season deal, which will take his total seasons with the club to eight.[3]
  • On 19 July 2020, United signed Yudai Baba on a one-season Special Restricted Player deal.[4]
  • On 22 July 2020, David Barlow also re-signed with the club on a new one-season deal.[5]
  • On 24 July 2020, Mason Peatling was signed to a three-season deal, with him being assigned as a development player for the first season.[6]
  • On 14 August 2020, Sam McDaniel was re-signed for his third season with the club on a one-season deal.[7]
  • On 20 August 2020, United released Casey Prather from the final season of his contract.[8]
  • On 21 August 2020, United also released assistant coach Ross McMains from his contract.[9]
  • On 30 November 2020, Scotty Hopson signed a one-year deal with the club, filling United’s first Import slot.[10]
  • On 10 December 2020, Jock Landale signed one-year deal with the club.[11]
  • On 9 February 2021, following multiple injuries Dillon Stith was added to the squad as an injury replacement player.[12]
  • On 13 March 2021, C. J. Asuncion-Byrd was signed as the injury replacement player for Baba.[13]
  • On 8 April, David Andersen signed as the injury replacement player for White.[14]

Game log

Pre-season

2020 pre-season game log
Total: 1–0 (Home: 0–0; Road: 1–0)
December: 1–0 (home: 0–0; road: 1–0)
Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location
Attendance		 Record
1 31 December @ Cairns W 81–97 Chris Goulding (17) Jock Landale (8) Mitch McCarron (5) Cairns Pop-Up Arena
not announced 		1–0

Regular season

Main article: 2020–21 NBL regular season


2020–21 game log
Total: 28–8 (Home: 14–4; Road: 14–4)
January: 3–0 (home: 1–0; road: 2–0)
Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location
Attendance		 Record
1 15 January @ Adelaide W 65–89 Goulding, Lual-Acuil (16) Jo Lual-Acuil (12) Scotty Hopson (4) Adelaide Entertainment Centre
6,539 		1–0
2 25 January @ Cairns W 85–87 Jock Landale (19) Jo Lual-Acuil (11) Ili, McCarron (4) Cairns Pop-Up Arena
1,896 		2–0
3 31 January S.E. Melbourne W 96–90 Jack White (22) Jock Landale (7) Mitch McCarron (6) Bendigo Stadium
2,000 		3–0
February: 3–0 (home: 1–0; road: 2–0)
Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location
Attendance		 Record
4 5 February @ Brisbane W 96–109 Chris Goulding (27) Jock Landale (13) Mitch McCarron (8) Nissan Arena
2,234 		4–0
5 7 February Perth W 75–71 Jock Landale (16) Jack White (8) Scotty Hopson (6) Bendigo Stadium
1,953 		5–0
6 10 February @ Illawarra W 88–91 Scotty Hopson (21) Scotty Hopson (9) Mitch McCarron (7) WIN Entertainment Centre
3,459 		6–0
NBL Cup: 4–4 (home: 2–2; road: 2–2)
Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location
Attendance		 Record
7 20 February Perth L 85–89 Jock Landale (20) Jock Landale (10) Hopson, Landale (4) John Cain Arena
3,711 		6–1
8 22 February Cairns W 88–81 Jock Landale (18) Jock Landale (11) Mitch McCarron (7) John Cain Arena
2,313 		7–1
9 25 February @ Adelaide W 73–82 Mitch McCarron (18) McCarron (10) Scotty Hopson (4) John Cain Arena
1,991 		8–1
10 27 February Sydney W 83–80 Jock Landale (20) Jo Lual-Acuil (10) Mitch McCarron (6) John Cain Arena
4,206 		9–1
11 5 March @ New Zealand W 84–87 Jock Landale (23) Mitch McCarron (7) Mitch McCarron (7) John Cain Arena
3,421 		10–1
12 7 March Brisbane L 88–96 Chris Goulding (21) Jock Landale (11) Baba, Ili (3) John Cain Arena
3,696 		10–2
13 10 March @ S.E. Melbourne L 97–92 (OT) Goulding, Landale (22) Jo Lual-Acuil (9) Shea Ili (6) John Cain Arena
3,675 		10–3
14 13 March @ Illawarra L 77–69 Mitch McCarron (16) Jock Landale (8) Landale, McCarron (4) John Cain Arena
4,183 		10–4
March: 3–1 (home: 1–0; road: 2–1)
Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location
Attendance		 Record
15 19 March @ Sydney L 103–75 Jock Landale (18) Ili, Landale (7) Chris Goulding (6) Qudos Bank Arena
5,089 		10–5
16 21 March Illawarra W 75–65 Jock Landale (19) Mitch McCarron (11) Goulding, McCarron (5) John Cain Arena
2,552 		11–5
17 25 March @ New Zealand W 79–82 Ili, McCarron (16) Mitch McCarron (7) Mitch McCarron (7) Bendigo Stadium
1,150 		12–5
18 27 March @ S.E. Melbourne W 60–80 Chris Goulding (25) Mason Peatling (12) Mitch McCarron (6) John Cain Arena
3,370 		13–5
April: 7–0 (home: 6–0; road: 1–0)
Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location
Attendance		 Record
19 2 April Cairns W 95–85 Jock Landale (20) Jock Landale (11) Hopson, McCarron (4) John Cain Arena
3,673 		14–5
20 4 April @ Cairns W 73–83 Chris Goulding (15) Landale, Lual-Acuil (10) Mitch McCarron (7) Cairns Pop-Up Arena
1,847 		15–5
21 10 April New Zealand W 84–78 Scotty Hopson (19) Jock Landale (11) Mitch McCarron (5) John Cain Arena
2,717 		16–5
22 12 April Brisbane W 98–89 Jock Landale (23) Jock Landale (13) Mitch McCarron (12) John Cain Arena
3,422 		17–5
23 18 April Illawarra W 87–76 Jo Lual-Acuil (15) Jock Landale (11) Jock Landale (5) John Cain Arena
3,794 		18–5
24 24 April Adelaide W 92–78 Mitch McCarron (21) Landale, Lual-Acuil (10) Mitch McCarron (5) John Cain Arena
3,034 		19–5
25 28 April New Zealand W 90–76 Scotty Hopson (25) Jo Lual-Acuil (9) Barlow, Goulding, McCarron (3) John Cain Arena
2,173 		20–5
May: 6–3 (home: 2–2; road: 4–1)
Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location
Attendance		 Record
26 2 May Sydney W 103–78 Chris Goulding (21) Jo Lual-Acuil (9) Mitch McCarron (8) John Cain Arena
2,214 		21–5
27 5 May Perth L 69–82 Jock Landale (11) Jo Lual-Acuil (10) Mitch McCarron (5) John Cain Arena
2,011 		21–6
28 8 May @ S.E. Melbourne W 82–93 Jock Landale (27) Jock Landale (11) Yudai Baba (3) John Cain Arena
3,899 		22–6
29 13 May @ Perth W 91–99 Chris Goulding (26) Jock Landale (7) Mitch McCarron (6) RAC Arena
9,987 		23–6
30 16 May S.E. Melbourne L 83–94 Jock Landale (19) Mitch McCarron (7) Mitch McCarron 6 John Cain Arena
3,460 		23–7
31 18 May @ Illawarra W 87–102 Chris Goulding (25) Jock Landale (10) Scotty Hopson (8) WIN Entertainment Centre
1,794 		24–7
32 24 May @ Brisbane W 88–99 Chris Goulding (22) McCarron, Peatling (6) Mitch McCarron (7) Nissan Arena
1,614 		25–7
33 29 May @ Sydney L 100–98 (2OT) Jock Landale (23) Jock Landale (12) Mitch McCarron (9) Qudos Bank Arena
6,238 		25–8
34 31 May Cairns W 101–76 Jock Landale (19) Mason Peatling (11) Scotty Hopson (5) Qudos Bank Arena[15]
closed event 		26–8
June: 2–0 (home: 1–0; road: 1–0)
Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location
Attendance		 Record
35 4 June @ Perth W 64–78 Jo Lual-Acuil (16) Mitch McCarron (6) Mitch McCarron (5) RAC Arena
12,185 		27–8
36 6 June Adelaide W 102–80 Hopson, Landale (19) Jock Landale (9) Shea Ili (8) Adelaide Entertainment Centre[15]
1,817 		28–8

Postseason

Main article: 2021 NBL Finals
2021 finals game log
Total: 5–1 (Home: 3–0; Road: 2–1)
Semifinals: 2–1 (Home: 2–0; Road: 0–1)
Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location
Attendance		 Record
1 11 June S.E. Melbourne W 96–78 Jock Landale (26) Mason Peatling (6) Mitch McCarron (5) Qudos Bank Arena
500 		1–0
2 13 June @ S.E. Melbourne L 90–79 Scotty Hopson (19) Lual-Acuil, Peatling (7) McCarron, Lual-Acuil, Peatling (4) Qudos Bank Arena
500 		1–1
3 15 June S.E. Melbourne W 84–74 Jock Landale (27) Landale, McCarron (8) Mitch McCarron (6) Qudos Bank Arena
500 		2–1
NBL Finals: 3–0 (Home: 0–0; Road: 3–0)
Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location
Attendance		 Record
1 18 June @ Perth W 70–73 Chris Goulding (23) Mitch McCarron (11) Mitch McCarron (6) RAC Arena
9,951 		1–0
2 20 June @ Perth W 74–83 Chris Goulding (21) Jock Landale (17) Mitch McCarron (7) RAC Arena
11,097 		2–0
3 25 June Perth W 81–76 Jock Landale (15) Jock Landale (9) Mitch McCarron (5) John Cain Arena
4,507 		3–0

Ladder

Pos 2020–21 NBL season
Team Pld W L PCT Last 5 Streak Home Away PF PA PP
1 Melbourne United 36 28 8 77.78% 4–1 W3 14–4 14–4 3189 2956 107.88%
2 Perth Wildcats 36 25 11 69.44% 3–2 L2 13–5 12–6 3133 2900 108.03%
3 Illawarra Hawks 36 20 16 55.56% 4–1 L1 11–7 9–9 2962 2954 100.27%
4 S.E. Melbourne Phoenix 36 19 17 52.78% 2–3 L1 9–9 10–8 3217 3124 102.98%
5 Sydney Kings 36 19 17 52.78% 4–1 W3 11–7 8–10 3112 3087 100.81%
6 Brisbane Bullets 36 18 18 50.00% 4–1 W1 9–9 9–9 3204 3274 97.86%
7 Adelaide 36ers 36 13 23 36.11% 0–5 L7 10–8 3–15 2985 3156 94.58%
8 New Zealand Breakers 36 12 24 33.33% 2–3 L1 8–10 4–14 2937 3021 97.22%
9 Cairns Taipans 36 8 28 22.22% 1–4 L2 6–12 2–16 2940 3207 91.67%

Updated to match(es) played on 9 June 2021. Source: NBL.com.au

Ladder progression

  • Numbers highlighted in green indicate that the team finished the round inside the top four.
  • Numbers highlighted in blue indicates the team finished first on the ladder in that round.
  • Numbers highlighted in red indicates the team finished last place on the ladder in that round.
2020–21 NBL season
Team 1 2 3 4 5 NBL Cup 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21
6 7 8 9
Adelaide 36ers 3 5 3 3 3 4 6 5 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7
Brisbane Bullets 6 9 5 6 6 7 5 4 5 5 6 6 5 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6
Cairns Taipans 4 7 8 8 8 8 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9
Illawarra Hawks 2 3 1 2 2 2 4 3 3 4 3 5 4 5 5 5 5 4 4 3 3
Melbourne United 1 1 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 2 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
New Zealand Breakers – 8 9 9 9 9 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8
Perth Wildcats – 2 4 7 7 3 2 2 2 1 1 1 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2
S.E. Melbourne Phoenix 7 6 6 4 4 5 3 7 4 3 4 3 3 3 4 4 4 3 3 4 4
Sydney Kings 5 4 7 5 5 6 7 6 6 6 5 4 6 4 3 3 3 5 5 5 5

Awards

Player of the Week

NBL Awards

  • Executive of the Year: Mark Boyd[17]

Melbourne United Awards

  • Best Club Person Award: Fiona Gant[18]

Finals Series

See also

References

  1. ^ "NBL21 Free Agency Preview: Everything You Need to Know | NBL". NBL.com.au.
  2. ^ "Jack White Inks Long-Term Deal in Australia's NBL". Duke University. 15 July 2020. Retrieved 13 September 2020.
  3. ^ Ward, Roy (16 July 2020). "Melbourne United retain franchise player Chris Goulding in three-year deal". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 13 September 2020.
  4. ^ "Yudai Baba signs with NBL's Melbourne United". The Japan Times. 19 July 2020. Retrieved 13 September 2020.
  5. ^ "David Barlow Re-signs With Melbourne United For Another Year". www.melbourneutd.com.au. 21 July 2020. Retrieved 13 September 2020.
  6. ^ Evans, Kyle (26 July 2020). "Short back in black for 2020-21 NBL season". The Courier. Retrieved 13 September 2020.
  7. ^ "Sam McDaniel re-signs with Melbourne United". www.melbourneutd.com.au. 14 August 2020. Retrieved 13 September 2020.
  8. ^ "Prather, Melbourne United part ways". ESPN.com. 20 August 2020. Retrieved 13 September 2020.
  9. ^ "Thank You Ross McMains". www.facebook.com. 21 August 2020. Retrieved 13 September 2020.
  10. ^ "Scotty Hopson Signs with Melbourne United". NBL.com.au. 30 November 2020. Retrieved 30 November 2020.
  11. ^ "Young Australian Star Jock Landale Signs with Melbourne United". NBL.com.au. 10 December 2020. Retrieved 10 December 2020.
  12. ^ "Melbourne United Injuries". 9 February 2021. Retrieved 11 February 2021.
  13. ^ "Squad update". Twitter. 13 March 2021. Retrieved 13 March 2021.
  14. ^ "Veteran David Andersen Signs with Melbourne". NBL.com.au. 8 May 2021. Retrieved 8 May 2021.
  15. ^ a b This game is a home game and was originally due to be played at John Cain Arena, but COVID-19 induced border closures forced the team to relocate to Sydney and Adelaide.
  16. ^ "By The Numbers". Instagram. 1 March 2021. Archived from the original on 25 December 2021. Retrieved 26 October 2021.
  17. ^ a b c "Bryce Cotton Claims Third Andrew Gaze MVP Trophy". NBL.com.au. 16 June 2021. Retrieved 23 October 2021.
  18. ^ a b c d "Landale, Baba headline Melbourne United club award winners". melbourneutd.com.au. 28 June 2021. Retrieved 23 October 2021.
  19. ^ "United secure NBL21 championship on home court". NBL.com.au. 25 June 2021. Retrieved 23 October 2021.