ALTHOUGH his Willetton Tigers may have fallen two points short of the ultimate prize at the 2024 Under-18 Club Championships, the performance of Timothy Ibukunoluwa was certainly a highlight.

The Tigers were one of the best sides at the tournament, making it to the gold medal match where they faced off against the Central Districts Lions in a massive clash. Willetton had defeated the Dandenong Rangers in a thrilling preliminary final and looked to finish the job on Sunday morning at HBF Arena.

Things looked dire for the Tigers throughout the match, trailing by over 20 points at one stage in the third quarter as the Lions broke away. However, the Western Australian team rallied in the fourth quarter, finally finding their offensive rhythm and forcing the opposition into some silly mistakes which let Willetton back into the game.

It was suddenly a two-point game heading into the final 10 seconds of the match, and the Tigers had the ball. On their final possession, they looked to get the ball in the hands of their star player in Ibukunoluwa, but his driving shot was painfully wayward, as the Lions held on.

Regardless of the overall result, he produced a tremendous tournament, and showed how highly he ranks against his peers.

Throughout the tournament he averaged 18 points per game, and put the Tigers on his back on several occasions. Ibukunoluwa proved to be the most reliable source of offence for Willetton, and showcased his dynamic skillset.

A big body that can prove too physical for the opposition, he liked to bully his way into the paint and back down his opponent or drive past his immediate defender and finish at the basket. Ibukunoluwa was not afraid to let the opposition know when he scored on them, even pulling out the occasional ‘too small’ celebration after drawing an and-one.

He is also capable of stretching the floor, knocking down some big three-pointers throughout the fixture and particularly in the final, with his three-level scoring a massive positive for the Tigers as they mounted a huge comeback.

After delivering 22 points in the preliminary final win over Dandenong, Ibukunoluwa took his game to the next level on the big stage, producing his best performance of the tournament in the gold medal game and nearly getting Willetton’s hands on the silverware.

The Tigers star conjured 29 points in the final against the Lions, and carried his team when they needed a hero on the offensive end, and although visibly disappointed after missing the final shot, there is no doubt Willetton would not have been in a match-winning position if not for his efforts, emerging as a star of the tournament with an eye-catching campaign.