The Big Interview - Killian and Emma Gribben

Catching up with Killian and Emma Gribben of Letterkenny Blaze

The Gribben’s are a busy family over the next fortnight, Killian is representing Ireland at the FIBA U18 European Challengers in Levice Slovakia, while Emma is in the U16 women’s squad who are playing their FIBA European Challengers event in Piestany, Slovakia.

Ireland’s U18 men begin their campaign tonight (August 4th) against Hungary at 9pm, while the U16 women start against hosts Slovakia on August 11th.

We caught up with both Killian and Emma before their competitions, with Killian speaking to us from Slovakia, having already landed in the country ahead of the tournament.

Interview

---

Q1: With both of you competing in international tournaments in the coming days, how have you found the preparations? 

Emma Gribben: “Training sessions have been going really well all the way through from trials to the final selection, preparation by coach Andy Gill and the management team have ensured we have got as much intensity as possible in the time frame. We have grown a very strong bond as a team and hopefully this will help us do our best in the tournament.”

Killian Gribben: “I found the preparations very good considering the circumstances we’re in. We’ve only had three or four months to train, but we’ve been training very well, had very good sessions and we’re up for the challenge here in Slovakia.”

---

Q2: How exciting has it been to have both been able to make your respective Ireland squads this year? When did you both find out?

EG: “The excitement continues in our household and family circle. It is a great honour to have been able to attend trials for our respective squads and to be selected for the final 12 representing our country in this year's Euro Challengers. We are both very proud to be representing Letterkenny Blaze basketball club, our schools, our families, ourselves and our country in this tournament.”

KG: “Yeah it’s great. There is a big buzz in the family having two people in the Irish squads, so our parents are very proud of us. I found out when I got on the Irish squad during the Leaving Cert, so quite a stressful time for me, but it uplifted me, so I am really looking forward to it now.”

---

Q3: With no competitive basketball over the last 18 months, how exciting is it being back training with a team? Were you able to lean on each other and train together through lockdown?

EG: “When lockdown came in it was a huge shock to the system with the amount of basketball we had been playing. We supported each other by shooting hoops in the back yard and doing strength and conditioning as much as we possibly could during this time. Getting back indoors playing with the girls during the trials and training has proven to me how much we all must respect the simple things in life, maybe we’ve taken for granted in the past.”

KG: “We have 12 good lads in the squad, so we had tough competition week in and week out four times a week and we are (now) scrimmaging every day (in Slovakia), so we are getting the most of it. And myself and Emma during lockdown were out on the basketball court, we’re lucky to have a hoop outside the house, so we’d shoot about every day almost and help ourselves get better.”

---

Q4: We often see siblings being quite competitive, would you say the two of you are competitive despite not playing together? Does the competitiveness extend past basketball?

EG: “When it comes to basketball we wouldn’t be as competitive as you would expect us to be. We have always supported each other and encouraged each other on and off the court. But when it comes to a game of monopoly that’s a whole different story!”

---

Q5: Are there any players or coaches within the Letterkenny basketball community either of you have looked up to,m or been inspired by growing up?

EG: “Having both come through the underage structure of Letterkenny Blaze basketball club, we have benefited greatly from playing in competitions in the NorthWest and BNI, along with attending a lot of matches supporting our club across all age levels and from this we have been inspired by many players, in both the boys and girls teams, that have come through the club over the years. We have been very fortunate in our club to have a strong experienced coaching structure across all levels, along with our teammates, of which we would like to thank each and every one of them for helping us get to what we have achieved today. And of course we can’t go without mentioning our mum and dad who have given us so much support and encouragement, along with our three sisters, who have played a huge part in what we’ve achieved to date.”

KG: “We were lucky enough in Blaze to have some very experienced coaches coming up through Under 8’s and Under 12’s all the way through to Under 18’s and ever since I was young, eight or nine (years old), the only two boys that made Irish squads were the Hickey twins - so that’s my inspiration, I want to be like them.”

---

Q6: Killian, making an Ireland squad and heading Stateside soon, it must be exciting! How are you feeling about the coming months on the basketball front, and what are your goals? 

KG: “Right now we’re in Slovakia, so we are going to be coming up against some great competition, in Bulgaria and Hungary, and the other games coming ahead. When I head Stateside in September I am really looking forward to playing as much basketball as I can and just get better and better by the day.”

---

Q7: Emma, how are you feeling going into the European competition, and what are your basketball goals for the future? 

EG: “I’m filled with mixed emotions heading into the competition, from excitement and nervousness, which will be helped along the way with the great bunch of girls from all over the country, along with the leadership from our experienced coaches and management team that I will be representing our country with. I hope to continue playing basketball for my school, club, National League with LYIT Donegal, along with helping coach underage at club level and possibly follow in the footsteps of my brother Killian, by playing in the States.”