Here at Pascack Valley High School, four sets of siblings play on the varsity basketball teams. There are two sets for the boys and two for the girls.
For the boys, there are the Berks—twin seniors Jake and Tyler— and the Kirkbys—senior Trevor and sophomore Drew.
As for the girls, there are the Gibbses—senior Maddie and sophomore Raina—and the Kesselmans—senior Ada and junior Alex.
These pairs of brothers and sisters have shared genes and a shared passion. I took a deeper look into these four sets of siblings, learning more about them and their love for the game.
Jake Berk and Tyler Berk
The Berks’ love for basketball can be credited to their father, who brought them to his men’s league games when they were young and would shoot around with them in their driveway.
They began playing in third grade on the River Vale travel basketball team.
As twins, they played together growing up. Over the course of playing basketball together for 10 years, they have built chemistry. This chemistry is what they both like about playing with each other.
The Berks know what one another is best at. Jake knows that Tyler shoots, so Jake always finds his brother on the 3-point line. Tyler knows Jake is a good playmaker, so Tyler makes it as easy as possible for Jake to get him the ball.
They find that one downside to playing with each other, however, is that they get frustrated with one another more easily than they would any other teammate.
Coach Ron Villone speaks to their frustration on the court.
“Freshman year watching them go at it in big man post drills, while both are not big men, was just great to watch,” Villone said.
Villone, who has worked with them for four years, discusses their differences.
“They are twin brothers who couldn’t be any more opposite,” Villone said. “Jake is the quarterback while Tank [Tyler’s nickname] is the wide receiver, and Tank is a shooter while Jake is a playmaker.”
While the brothers are competitive, they work together.
“It’s us versus them instead of me versus him,” Tyler said.
Maddie Gibbs and Raina Gibbs
Maddie and Raina Gibbs’s father, Mitch Gibbs, is the reason why these two players play basketball as well. Their dad was the president of River Vale Basketball, so he was always on the court. He would bring Maddie and Raina with him, and they both fell in love with the sport.
The Gibbs sisters loved going to Mark Lane or Stone Point with their father to do drills and shoot around until the sky became dark.
The Gibbses started to play with each other consistently on the Holdrum Middle School team when Maddie was in eighth grade and Raina was in sixth.
Raina would also occasionally play up during travel basketball, playing on Maddie’s teams until Raina got into seventh grade.
Both of them have learned to always cherish the moments of playing with each other, as this will be the last time they ever step on the court together.
With Maddie being a senior and Raina a sophomore, they have shared the Pascack Valley uniform for two seasons.
Raina values Maddie’s screen setting on offense, allowing Raina to pull up for a jump shot or drive to the rim.
Maddie values having Raina as a shooter on the court.
After games, they sit down in front of the TV together and go over game film. They go over the good, the bad, and the ugly.
“Sometimes our opinions and outlooks on the court differ,” Raina said.
Coach Jeff Jasper speaks about the sibling rivalry between the Gibbses.
“I don’t know if they always realize it, but I try and promote it,” Jasper said while laughing. “I always say sarcastic comments to get them to compete.”
Ada Kesselman and Alex Kesselman
When Ada was in fifth grade and Alex was in fourth grade, they signed up for their AAU [Amateur Athletic Union] team and have been playing together ever since.
They are currently in year eight of playing competitive basketball with each other, and The Kesselman sisters will always shoot and rebound with each other before and after practice.
Spending this much time together, they have formed chemistry. They know what the other person is looking to do on the court without even speaking.
When it comes to the negatives about playing with each other, Ada couldn’t think of one about Alex; however, Alex could think of one about Ada. It frustrates Alex when Ada messes up because she knows that Ada can always do better.
Before last season, Ada and Alex both tore their ACLs, causing them to miss the entirety of last season.
“At first, I was very, very disappointed to hear the news,” Jasper said. “Then, I started showing them love, and the team did as well, which helped. They took this setback as a challenge.”
Ada and Alex are grateful for the many memories they’ve created both on and off the court throughout their many years of basketball together.
Trevor Kirkby and Drew Kirkby
Trevor and Drew’s father and their uncle—Chris and Kevin Kirkby—coached basketball, which Trevor praises as his reason for getting into the sport. His younger brother Drew, however, praises Trevor.
Their uncle Kevin, who currently teaches at Pascack Hills, was a coach when Trevor was little, and his father often brought him and Drew to games.
With there being a two-year age gap between the Kirkbys, they have rarely had the chance to share the court.
However, when they did for the first time in 2019, it created a lasting memory for Drew. Drew was in fifth grade, and he played with Trevor’s seventh-grade Hillsdale Travel team for a tournament in Maywood.
“That was cool for me, as it was one of the first times I got to play consistently with my brother,” Drew said.
Trevor values always having Drew there, as Trevor says his brother knows him better than anyone else.Drew values his older brother’s selflessness and how Trevor is always picking up teammates if they are struggling.
The most important thing Trevor has learned from playing with Drew is how special it is to have a sibling around. Drew has learned how it is to have a true leader to look up to—both on and off the court.
Drew has always been Trevor’s biggest critic, and while Trevor appreciates Drew’s criticism. However, according to Trevor, Drew does not sugarcoat anything, which can be a lot in the middle of a high-stress game.
“Those two are completely different,” Villone said. “Drew is Trevor’s biggest critic. [Drew will] tell him when he’s wrong, and Trevor doesn’t wanna listen to him.”
Trevor hopes Drew gets into coaching, saying his brother has “a great mind for the game.”
