Sports

Anto Balian follows in father's footsteps as an Armenian basketball star

Published

2 years ago

January 10, 2024

Anto Balian follows in father's footsteps as an Armenian basketball star

It’s almost 11:30 p.m., and the sound of a bouncing basketball near the garage of the Balian family home in Glendale is as common as a barking dog. Except none of the neighbors have called police to complain.

“Not yet,” 6-foot-2 junior guard Anto Balian of Pilibos High said gratefully.

Maybe it’s because the houses on both sides of the Balian home have occupants of Armenian descent and know the 16-year-old practicing from 9 p.m. to 11:30 p.m. in the front and back yards is simply doing his basketball homework.

“He just works real hard at his craft,” said his father, Sarkis, who’s also the basketball coach and athletic director at Pilibos. “He puts in a lot of work on his own.”

California is home to the largest Armenian population of any state, at 250,733, according to the 2020 census. Los Angeles is the epicenter of culture and activities, where three Armenian schools — Pilibos, Holy Martyrs and AGBU Manoogian-Demirdjian — are every bit competing in sports with the intensity of a rivalry matchup similar to when Catholic or Jewish schools play before sold-out crowds.

Sarkis was a star guard at Holy Martyrs during his high school days. He has spent the last 28 years at Pilibos, which is a K-12 school in Little Armenia near Hollywood. He coached his oldest son, Kevork, who graduated three years ago. Now Anto is the focus. Sarkis’ name is legendary in the Armenian basketball community, so don’t doubt how much support and following Anto could end up receiving as he continues to develop.

Junior guard Anto Balian, left, and Pilibos coach Sarkis Balian, his father.

(Craig Weston)

Los Angeles’ many diverse ethnic communities are known to come out in force to root for one of their own. Think back to the days Kobe Paras arrived from the Philippines to play basketball for Cathedral High. Filipinos were filling gyms in 2014-15 for his senior year to record videos of his dunks, offering high-fives to friends in the bleachers and lining up for autographs.

Anto has been attending Pilibos since preschool. So many of his high school friends have played together since they learned how to walk, talk and get dirty in the sandbox.

“You’re more than friends,” Anto said. “You know them like your parents. It becomes a family, especially in the Armenian community, where everyone knows each other.”

To see the determination on his face as he maneuvers toward the basket on a drive or grabs a rebound is a hint of his passion. He’s already a member of the Armenian national team that came to Los Angeles last summer to play two games against France at Cal State Northridge. He could join the team in February in Armenia depending on his availability during the Southern Section playoffs.

He played many sports growing up, but his father’s basketball background was always going to lead Anto on a path to explore the sport.

This season he’s averaging 31.2 points a game. His physicality, strength and ability to finish drives or draw fouls helps keep his scoring average going up. He can make three-pointers and his work ethic is unyielding, which means constant improvement is going to keep happening. He had 33 points last week in a game against Sierra Canyon.

He said he wants to play Division 1 basketball and has received interest from such schools as the University of San Diego, coached by Steve Lavin. He received an offer this week from Biola. He stepped out of his Pilibos comfort zone by playing club basketball and participating in the Nike EYBL, challenging himself on the court and forcing himself to meet new people. It’s an important journey for someone so closely tied to a single school to explore life outside of his community.

“It’s teaching me what I have to look forward to in the coming years,” he said.

Sports

Ole Miss staffer references Aaron Hernandez while discussing ‘chaotic’ coaching complications with LSU

Published

10 hours ago

January 8, 2026

Press Room

Ole Miss staffer references Aaron Hernandez while discussing ‘chaotic’ coaching complications with LSU

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The chaos between LSU coaches who left Ole Miss alongside Lane Kiffin but are still coaching the Rebels in the College Football Playoff is certainly a whirlwind.

Joe Judge, Ole Miss’ quarterbacks coach, has found himself in the thick of the drama — while he is not headed for Baton Rouge, he’s had to wonder who he will be working with on a weekly basis.

When asked this week about what it’s like to go through all the trials and tribulations, Judge turned heads with his answer that evoked his New England Patriots days.

Aaron Hernandez sits in the courtroom of the Attleboro District Court during his hearing. Former New England Patriot Aaron Hernandez has been indicted on a first-degree murder charge in the death of Odin Lloyd in North Attleboro, Massachusetts, on Aug. 22, 2013. (Jared Wickerham/Getty Images)

“My next-door neighbor was Aaron Hernandez,” Judge said, according to CBS Sports. “I know this is still more chaotic.”

Hernandez was found guilty of the 2013 murder of Odin Lloyd, which occurred just three years into his NFL career.

“If you watch those documentaries, my house is on the TV next door,” Judge added. “The detectives knocked on my door to find out where he was. I didn’t know. We just kind of talked to the organization. But it was obviously chaotic.”

Aaron Hernandez was convicted of the 2013 murder of semipro football player Odin Lloyd. (REUTERS/Brian Snyder)

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Judge, though, was able to compare the two situations to see how players can combat wild distractions.

“Those players that year handled that extremely well. Came out of that chaos, and we had some really good direction inside with some veterans and some different guys. You have something like that happen — how do you handle something like that? How do you deal with something like that? So you keep the focus on what you can handle, what you can control, which at that time was football for us, and we went through the stretch, and we were able to have success that year,” Judge said.

Judge also compared this scenario to the 2020 NFL season when he was head coach of the New York Giants, saying he would have “no idea” who would be available due to surprise positive COVID-19 tests.

Head coach Joe Judge of the New York Giants looks on during the second quarter against the Dallas Cowboys at MetLife Stadium. The game took place in East Rutherford, New Jersey, on Dec. 19, 2021. (Sarah Stier/Getty Images)

The Rebels face Miami in the Fiesta Bowl, the College Football Playoff Semifinal, on Thursday night.

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Sports

Prep talk: Calabasas basketball team is surging with 11 wins in last 12 games

Published

11 hours ago

January 8, 2026

Press Room

Prep talk: Calabasas basketball team is surging with 11 wins in last 12 games

Calabasas pulled off a huge win in high school basketball on Tuesday night, handing Thousand Oaks its first defeat after 16 victories in a Marmonte League opener.

The Coyotes (13-5) have quietly turned around their season after a 2-4 start, winning 11 of their last 12 games.

One of the major contributors has been 6-foot-3 junior guard Johnny Thyfault, who’s averaging 16 points and has become a fan favorite because of his dunking skills. He also leads the team in taking charging fouls.

He transferred to Calabasas after his freshman year at Viewpoint.

As for beating Thousand Oaks, coach Jon Palarz said, “We got to play them at home and had great effort.”

This is a daily look at the positive happenings in high school sports. To submit any news, please email eric.sondheimer@latimes.com.

Sports

Hawks trade 4-time All-Star Trae Young to Wizards in blockbuster deal: reports

Published

22 hours ago

January 8, 2026

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Hawks trade 4-time All-Star Trae Young to Wizards in blockbuster deal: reports

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The Atlanta Hawks have parted ways with four-time NBA All-Star point guard Trae Young, trading him to the Washington Wizards in a blockbuster move, according to ESPN.

The Hawks will reportedly be receiving veteran shooting guard CJ McCollum and forward Corey Kispert in the deal.

Washington was Young’s preferred destination, and the two sides were working on a deal to get the 27-year-old point guard to the nation’s capital.

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Trae Young of the Atlanta Hawks looks on during the game against the Boston Celtics during Round 1 Game 6 of the 2023 NBA Playoffs on April 27, 2023 at State Farm Arena in Atlanta, Georgia. ( Adam Hagy/NBAE via Getty Images)

Young’s agents were having conversations with the Hawks, who sit at 17-21 so far this season, about trading their client out of Atlanta.

There is a mutual connection in Washington, too, as executive Travis Schlenk drafted Young fifth overall in 2018 out of Oklahoma.

It marks the end of an era for the Hawks. Young has been the focal point of their offense since he was taken in that draft. He is the team’s career leader in three-pointers and assists, having led the team to the postseason in three of his eight seasons. The Hawks went the furthest in 2021, where they made the Eastern Conference Finals.

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However, the new era was brewing already in Atlanta, with forward Jalen Johnson taking the next step in his career, averaging 23.7 points per game this season. The pickup of Nickeil Alexander-Walker also helps, as he’s averaged 20.5 points per game in 36 appearances.

Meanwhile, Young has played just 10 games this season, as he’s been dealing with leg injuries, most notably a right MCL sprain.

Trae Young #11 of the Atlanta Hawks looks on after the game against the Boston Celtics during Round One Game Five of the 2023 NBA Playoffs on April 25, 2023 at the TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. (Brian Babineau/NBAE via Getty Images)

The Hawks also get some flexibility on their books, as they could make some more moves. Anthony Davis is reportedly available from the Dallas Mavericks, making him a good target for Atlanta.

Young has $95 million remaining on his deal that runs through the 2026-27 season, which includes a player option this offseason.

Atlanta will be taking on McCollum’s contract, though the veteran guard has a $30.6 million expiring deal.

Through his 10 games this season, Young is averaging 19.2 points, 8.9 assists and 1.5 rebounds per game, while shooting 41.5% from the field.

Trae Young of the Atlanta Hawks drives down the court during the first half against the Philadelphia 76ers at State Farm Arena on April 7, 2023 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Todd Kirkland/Getty Images)

Over his career, Young has dropped 25.2 points and 9.8 assists per game, while leading the league in the latter category last season with 11.6 per contest.

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Scott Thompson is a sports writer for Fox News Digital.