Gerve and Kiveney appointed to Basketball Ireland U17 Academy roles by EPC

Basketball Ireland's Elite Performance Committee (EPC) has appointed Andrius Gerve and Ciaran Kiveney to the role of U17 Women's and U17 Men's Academy Head Coach respectively, ahead of the 2025/26 international season.  

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Kiveney took on the role of U17 Men's Academy Head Coach last year, having previously acted as provincial head coach of the U15 boys Leinster academy, as well as being involved with the U14 Midlands boys and U17 academy programmes since 2022. Ireland picked up two wins against Wales and Scotland in the Four Nations in Cardiff under his guidance, only losing to eventual winners England over the two-day tournament. 

“Firstly I am honoured to be reappointed to the U17 Men’s Team," said Kiveney on his re-appointment. "Last season we had a great group of players who came together as a team, not only on the court but off the court aswell. This was down to not only having a great group of players but also a great management team in place with me. I am very lucky to have the same team again this year and we are looking forward to building on the success of last years programme.”

He has previously worked as Head Coach of Titans Basketball Club in Galway, as well as an assistant in Portlaoise Panthers in Domino's Men's Division One, while also leading Athlone BC to the All-Ireland Club Championships (AICC's) at U16 level and to the final four of the Billy Kelly Plate at the U17 grade. 

 Kiveney (left) celebrates following a score during Ireland's win over Scotland at the 2025 Four Nations in Cardiff. 

We are delighted to re-appoint Ciaran to the position of U17 men's academy Head Coach," said Chairperson of the Elite Performance Committee Deirdre Brennan. "He ran a very good programme in his inaugural year, and we are keen for him to continue to build on his work this season. We wish him well in year two and are here to support him on his development journey."

Andrius Gerve has been involved with Basketball Ireland's Academy since 2023 and is currently head coach of the Dublin U15 girls regional programme alongside Elaine Scally, as well as BC Tridents head coach in Women's Division One of the Dublin League. 

"I am truly passionate about this opportunity to lead U17 women’s basketball programme, to work alongside such a great coaching team and so many talented athletes," said Gerve. I believe in the power of sports, not just as a way to develop physical skills, but also to shape character, resilience, and leadership. This programme is not just about training young athletes to excel on the court, it’s about equipping them with mental and emotional strength they need to succeed in life - both in sport and beyond. I am very grateful to be part of it."

Gerve started his coaching career in Germany back in 2016 and has coached at various levels in the European powerhouse including national programmes. His first step in Irish basketball came in Dublin's Castleknock Community College in 2021, where he remains U16 and U19 head coach. 

"Andrius has been impressive as an academy coach," acknowledged Brennan. "As someone who has been a high-performance athlete himself, he knows and understands what it takes to reach an elite level. We look forward to supporting him share his knowledge and expertise with our U17 women's squad this year." 

"We would also like to extend our sincere thanks to outgoing U17 Women's Academy Head Coach, Andy Gill, for the programme he led last year," concluded Brennan. 

Register here for trials for our U17 programme