Melbourne Tigers keep season alive with epic win Melbourne Tigers guard Chris Goulding battled bravely in the team's win over the Taipans. Picture: Ian Hitchcock. THE Melbourne Tigers kept their season alive last night in an epic performance they can only hope now wasn't for nought. Playing with injured men on the court and off it, Tigers guard Chris Goulding hobbled his way to a lay-up with 1.5 seconds left to put his team two points in front. With their season on the line too, the Taipans could not find the answer, the game ending with the ball in Goulding's hands after a Cairns turnover and a 66-64 Tigers win. It was an heroic performance from the vistors who now need a win from long-time nemesis Adelaide tonight to be any chance of making the playoffs. Sydney's victory over Townsville earlier in the night muddied the waters for Melbourne's finals quest. The 36ers have to beat Wollongong , and then the Tigers beat must Townsville in Melbourne on Sunday to complete the playoffs dream. If the Tigers should bow out later today, it won't be for lack of effort after they showed as much character as they head all season to end Cairns year. Melbourne was more desperate, more dilligent and wanted the ball more, nearly doubling the home team's rebound count to get a huge amount of second shots. Goulding lead the way for his team, despite rolling his ankle mid-way though the final term, to finish with 25 points as part of a seven-man outfit stymied by yet another pre-game injury, Alreday without star Jonny Flynn and Lucas Walker, Adam Ballinger also failed to take the court ater hurting his back. Then starting pointy-guard Nate Tomlinson got in to foul trouble, racking up four with 15 minutes of the game to play. That effectively redcued Anstey to a six-man rotation, against a fully fit Cairns roster, playing on their home court and for a playoffs berth. But guts kept Melbourne going, and all eyes now turn to the TV tonight with fingers crossed for an Adelaide win. Our seaosn hinged on it. And all the boys came out with some big plays," Goulding said. This was our season, we worked so hard ... it shows trhe character of our guys. Goulding said his ankle woulnd't keep him out of Sunday's game, but Ballinger's capacity to turn out was unknown.