It’ll be a new challenge for Keilor Thunder recruit Adetomi Ayilara.
Having spent his whole basketball career at Wyndham, Ayilara has made the move to the Thunder to test his game in the National Basketball League 1 South competition.
Ayilara said he was excited for the new challenge that is ahead of him.
“It’s a big step up from Big V last year, I’m really excited,” he said. “I was kind of hoping to hang around with Wyndham and get them up there.
“But that wasn’t on the cards so it was time to move on.”
Ayilara joins the Thunder after three grand finals in as many years with Wyndham claiming two Big V championship titles.
He said it had been really cool to start in juniors and progress through the ranks into the top side and have success.
It was his former Wyndham coach Lucas Allen that helped convince him that the Thunder was the right move.
“I had already been speaking to Lucas about Ash [Arnott] who was going to be coaching and what he is about and the way he coaches as well,” he said.
“It was a little bit more of an incentive to go there as well. Ash talked about what he wants our culture to be, what he wants to be known for.
“How he wants us to play, and I thought I really fit.”
Ayilara will be part of a new look Thunder side which has had a number of changes on and off the court.
He said he was already enjoying the new challenge.
“There’s a few people who have hung around,” he said. “I’m really liking it, especially as everyone is always competing with each other, always trying to make each other better.
“I think we’ve got a really good shot at it this year.”
Making the step from Big V into NBL1 will be part of the journey this season for Ayilara.
He said the pace of the game will be the biggest difference.
“It’s not like I haven’t been playing against NBL1 guys, talent either,” he said. “I know the level of difference to Big V, I think I’m ready for it.”
While only new to the side, Ayilara is already set to take on a leadership role.
Coming from a winning background, Ayilara brings plenty of experience.
“The coach has already discussed it with me,” he said. “They want me to be a leader on the cort and off the court. We’ve got our leadership group established. I think we will be fine.”
In between seasons, Ayilara has kept himself busy with a bit of street ball.
The season before it was 3×3.
“It’s just good to play different kinds of basketball and get a feel for it in different ways,” he said.
“I’ve played a lot of 3×3 in the last off season before the last big v season and I think that really helped going into next season.
“This off season I haven’t done as much as I’ve been doing more streetball stuff, that helps with the physicality side of it as they definitely don’t call as many fouls as NBL1 .”
