In like Finn: Bowen steps up in star's absence

Dean Vickerman made the stakes clear to his Melbourne United players ahead of Saturday night’s trip to Brisbane, and when the pressure peaked in the fourth quarter, Kyle Bowen stood tall in the absence of Finn Delany.

With momentum swinging Brisbane’s way, Melbourne turned to effort plays to steady themselves, and Bowen’s work on the offensive glass proved decisive. Time and again in the final term, United generated second-chances when they needed them most, halting the Bullets’ surge and grinding out a crucial 92–87 victory.

Melbourne had controlled large stretches of the contest, building a lead that ballooned to 17 points, but a desperate Bullets side found belief late in the third. Tyrell Harrison knocked down a long-range heave at the three-quarter-time buzzer, then sparked a 15–2 Brisbane run to open the fourth quarter.

Suddenly, United found themselves four points down and searching for an answer.

They got it out of a Vickerman timeout, responding with a 9–0 run built on toughness and composure. Three offensive rebounds fuelled the surge, two of them coming from Bowen, whose impact turned the game back in Melbourne’s favour.

“I presented that case to the boys about just how important this game was for us just to get our disciplines back and doing it without Finn Delany, who has been an absolute warrior and probably our best player after the FIBA window,” Vickerman said.

“He's really been a great leader so to miss him (Delany) was tough, but every time that KB has had the opportunity to start or play major minutes, he's come up big and he made his couple of three balls, and did a really solid job defensively and was a connector, and screened well,” Vickerman said.

“I thought it was a real credit to him and the three ball is important for our four man to be able to stretch it along with their screening and connection to the rest of the team, and Tyson (Walker) had a real comfort level about him and KB being in the middle of the floor and making decisions together.”

Bowen finished with 14 points and eight rebounds, doing his best to replicate the presence Delany has provided at the four spot, and playing a pivotal role in a win that lifted United to 15–7.

“Just really grateful to get a win and as a group we're not proud of the product of basketball we've put out these last couple of games, and Deano preached before the game that this wasn’t necessarily do-or-die, but it was a critical point in our season,” Bowen said.

"Dean was great at providing me with pointers before the game about pushing the pace and connecting the floor, because Finn has been so valuable not only for the team, but for myself to learn from a guy like that every day, and go against him.

"He brings so much valuable stuff to that four position and I've definitely learned a lot, but pushing the pace and being that connector is important because we really wanted to see guys like Milton (Doyle) and CG (Chris Goulding) get back in a rhythm."