Armenia Basketball returns to California
Who would’ve thought that a game invented by a Canadian in Springfield, Massachusetts would one day take a small country in the Caucasus by storm?
The 91st-ranked men’s basketball team in the world, according to FIBA (the International Basketball Federation), will return to California for a pair of international friendlies. Hayastan hoops will be on display on June 6 in Fresno and June 8 in Los Angeles.
Armenia began playing international friendlies in California two years ago, hosting a pair of games against France. Last year, Armenia played an international friendly tournament called the ‘Los Angeles International Basketball Cup,’ defeating Guatemala 89-57 and Ireland in a nail-biting 92-91 win for the trophy.
Now, Armenia has a new opportunity at hand. Both California games will feature Costa Rica as their opponent. The Central American team is currently ranked 74th in the world, per FIBA’s latest rankings. Armenia’s first game will tip-off at Fresno City College at 7:00 p.m.
What’s special about this series of games is its name: The Tarkanian Classic. The event pays tribute to legendary coach Jerry Tarkanian, “Tark the Shark,” who left his mark on the Bulldogs of Fresno State. Tarkanian played for Fresno State from 1954-1955, began his coaching career at San Joaquin Memorial High School from 1955-1957 and later coached Fresno State men’s basketball from 1995-2002. Armenian basketball history already exists in California’s Central Valley, and current national team head coach Rex Kalamian is looking to continue that legacy.
After spending time in Fresno, Armenia will travel south to Los Angeles to play its final game against Costa Rica, scheduled for Sunday, June 8 at 7:00 p.m. at Crescenta Valley High School. Fans attending this match will be treated to a special halftime performance by world-renowned artist Tonee Marino.
Armenia is looking to build off its 91-70 win against Albania in the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2027 Pre-Qualifiers on February 20. Though Armenia could not overcome the might of Austria, they did end the European games with a dominant win.
Captain Andre Spight continues to lead the way, coming off a stellar season in the Uruguayan Basketball League, where he averaged 23.7 points per game over 25 games for Biguá. Anto Balian, arguably the top high school guard in Southern California, continues to showcase why he’s one of the best young players in the diaspora. He will suit up for Armenia before starting his freshman season with the Pepperdine Waves.
Connor Essegian is also a big name to keep an eye on. Essegian scored a game-high 21 points for Nebraska to defeat UCF for the newly-created College Basketball Crown. Needless to say, Armenia is returning to the Golden State with ironclad star power and an opportunity to grow Armenian basketball.
Armenia depends on its fans to keep the momentum going and help captivate new crowds. To watch Armenia’s basketball stars in action, click here to purchase tickets: https://tickets.armeniabasketball.com.
