Pilibos and AGBU basketball teams fill the stands for game to benefit Armenian school destroyed in Eaton fire
HOLLYWOOD — With eight minutes remaining and the game within two points, Pilibos’ Antranik Balian knew the ball was coming his way.
Whether it came from the free throw line, a backdoor cut, a dribble handoff, it didn’t matter — he was ready.
Balian sank back to back three-pointers to fuel an 18-4 run by Pilibos in the fourth quarter. He also tallied three assists in the quarter, finding open teammates in transition and the half-court sets.
The senior guard’s efforts contributed to a 61-54 victory for Pilibos over AGBU.
While both schools competed hard for a win on the court, they united for a cause bigger than basketball.
For Pilibos head coach Sarkis Balian, father of Antranik, Friday night’s game symbolized solidarity with his beloved Armenian-American community following a tragedy it suffered in January.
As the Eaton fire raged on in the San Gabriel Mountains and the surrounding area, it destroyed Altadena’s Sahag-Mesrob Armenian School, the only Armenian educational institution in the area.
Since the fire, Southern California’s Armenian schools united to raise money for the reconstruction of Sahag-Mesrob and the continued operation of the school outside campus. Currently, the students are continuing in-person instruction in Pasadena’s AGBU Cultural Center. During basketball games between Armenian schools, including Pilibos’ games against Holy Martyrs and AGBU, all concession sales are donated to Sahag-Mesrob.
Balian said the community’s unity is a source of pride and encouragement.
“I’m just really happy and proud of our Armenians, the way we came together at Ferrahian (Holy Martyrs) and today,” Balian said. “We will do whatever it takes for us to go back up to where we need to be. I really feel for the families and the kids, but am really proud of our culture and how we are pulling together.”
Prior to the action, both squads came together and unveiled a banner displaying the message: “Unstoppable Support for Sahag-Mesrob.” Pilibos then hung the banner inside Nerses Tashdjian Gymnasium.
Tension, energy and aggression defined Friday night’s basketball action. The venue saw a full house, split roughly in half between supporters of both schools. Balian estimated roughly 1,800 fans in attendance for a nonleague game. Every basket, steal, crossover and foul elicited excitement, cheers and boos.
The rivalry between Southern California’s Armenian schools extends beyond Pilibos and AGBU, but both teams are at the peak of their powers this season. Pilibos (19-6, 7-0) leads the Independence League, while the Titans (20-5, 4-2) are second in the Liberty League.
Coach Balian credited AGBU coach Nareg Kopooshian for revitalizing the Titans in recent years.
“I’m really proud of the way he (Kopooshian) is coaching, and I love that there’s a nice Armenian rivalry,” Balian said. “You knew it was going to be intense tonight and there was a little bit of talking, but at the end of the day, we’re all together, we’re all Armenians, and we’re pulling for each other.”
While both programs maintain a defensive identity focused on team defense, hustle and a healthy mix of zone and man schemes, the offenses both ran through each team’s respective star senior guard.
For the Eagles, the younger Balian’s contributions throughout the contest were clear. He finished with a team-high 29 points, finished with a 12-point fourth quarter performance. Defensively, Balian spent his time man-marking AGBU’s Isaiah Bennett.
AGBU’s offense ran through Bennett. A smaller but shiftier player than Balian, he controlled the Titans’ pace, often driving into the paint and kicking the ball to an open shooter. Bennett tallied a team-leading seven assists and 18 points. His responsibilities extended to his teammates, utilizing timeouts to go over the offensive actions he initiates.
Despite the result, both teams retain good standings going forward. Pilibos hosts YULA on Saturday at 8 p.m., while AGBU plays Northridge Academy on Monday at 7 p.m.