“He was everything, everywhere, all at once”

Tuesday 08 August 2023

Glowing tributes have been paid to one of Guernsey’s greatest ever basketball players.

Simon Le Blancq was a member of the sport’s local Hall of Fame and his influence spread throughout the game as a player and coach.

Guernsey’s men’s island coach Adam Farish played alongside Le Blancq in the league.

“As I was falling in love with the game he was already mastering it,” said Farish on Guernsey Basketball’s Facebook page.

“He was the young gun, transforming the game, doing things we’d never seen before, being more than all before him, talk of the pro game surrounded him and then for a while he vanished, off to the bright lights of Derby to get paid to play. It was all so removed and inspirational and untouchable to a kid like me.”

Le Blancq was a point guard.

"As a point he was the best passer we have ever had in our local game, period. He nearly killed me with a bullet pass to the side of the head once and instead of checking if I was OK he said, ‘if you’re going to cut, look up’. Point made.”

Le Blancq was in the top trio of three-point shooters in Guernsey.

“He was one of the best defenders anyone ever had to face. He was everything, everywhere, all at once.”

Farish won his sole island cap in an inter insular game that Le Blancq captured with a three pointer with just seconds to go.

“The place went wild, court invasion, people crying and celebrating and in the middle of it all was he hero, Si, nonplussed and unfussed and uttering the famous words to Vanny, ‘well, this is the highlight of some peoples’ year Van Beek’. Just another day at the office for the guy that just made another shot, it just happened to win the biggest game of the season.”

Farish concluded: “We have lost a great of our local game, the debate can rage, and it will, it should, about GOAT [greatest of all time] or not, but one thing is for sure, as it always has been and always will be, when it comes to a GBA men’s GOAT, Simon will always be in the conversation.”

Guernsey Basketball said that their thoughts are with Simon’s family and friends during this sad time.