Girls athlete of the week

The Post-Gazette’s top female performer of the past seven days

This past week: Gribble, a freshman point guard, scored 13 points in the Centurions’ 59- 37 win against Berlin Brothersvalley on Jan. 9, then tallied 17 points in a 57-48 win against Clairton on Jan. 12.

Check this out: Gribble leads the Centurions with a 15.1 points-per-game average. She also leads the team with 68 steals and eight blocked shots and ranks second with 63 rebounds. The Centurions are ranked No. 1 in WPIAL Class 2A with a 122 overall record and sit atop the Section 3 standings with a 5-0 record. Gribble is the youngest of three sisters. Her oldest sister Alayna is Norwin’s all-time leading scorer. She began her college career at Pitt before transferring to St. Joseph’s to get her master’s degree and played two more seasons. Her other sister Olivia played at Norwin and is now a junior at Marietta College.

When did you start playing basketball?

When I was 3 years old. I grew up in a world of basketball with my older sisters. They were my role models. I wanted to be like them. They are the biggest reason I’ve been so successful on and off the court.

Your sisters played at Norwin. Why did you pick Greensburg Central Catholic?

We were going through the COVID year when I went into seventh grade. Norwin wasn’t doing much in-class teaching. Greensburg Central was having classes at the school. I really liked the environment there and decided to stay.

Tell us about your scholarship offer from St. Joseph’s as an eighth grader?

I attended an elite camp at St. Joseph’s and really played well. The coaches surprised me with a scholarship offer. I certainly wasn’t expecting it. It was a very exciting experience.

Have you had any other offers?

Yes. I attended an elite camp at the University of Buffalo. They liked my style of play and made me an offer. I’ve also talked with some other coaches. I’m starting to look into the recruiting process and see what basketball can bring me. I’m taking my time with the process. I don’t want to rush into things. I’m looking for the right fit.

Tell us about your 23-point performance in the game against Neshannock (on Dec. 5)? That was definitely my best game. Neshannock was a defending state champ and we wanted to prove ourselves. We really stepped up in that game. It gave us a lot of confidence.

Can Greensburg Central win the WPIAL title?

I think we can. It’s one of our goals. We want to win the WPIAL title and qualify for the state tournament.

What’s one thing people would be surprised to know about you? I know how to play the drums. My dad was a drummer in high school and college. He taught me to play.

— By Ken Wunderley