Each Team comes into the new season with different expectations 

We met with the teams at the 2025-2026 Pacific League Boys Basketball Media Day at Arcadia High School. The Arcadia Apaches, Burbank Bulldogs, Burroughs Bears, Crescenta Valley Falcons, Glendale Nitros, Hoover Tornandos, Muir Mustangs and Pasadena Bulldogs enter the new season with their own set of goals and expectations. 

Arcadia Apaches 

2024-2025 record 17-12 overall 6-2 Pacific League (3rd Place) 

CIF Southern Section Division 3AA Playoff Results: Lost to Knight 55-63 in the opening round of the playoffs 

Head Coach Nick Wallace Sr. 

The Apaches enter the new season as preseason favorites for another top three finish along with Pasadena and reigning league champion CV. Sophomores Nick Wallace Jr and Owen Eteuati Edwards are ready to be big time contributors to this team. Arcadia will begin the new season with a road contest with Bishop Amat on Wednesday November 19th with tip off slated for 7:00 p.m. 

Burbank Bulldogs 

2024-2025 season results 21-8 overall 4-4 Pacific League (5th place)

CIF SS Division 3A Playoff Results: Lost to Hemet 69-99 to Hemet in the opening round of the playoffs 

Head Coach Steve Eshleman 

During the last two years the Bulldogs have jumped from six wins to 21 wins and they are looking to be taken seriously as Pacific League Contenders. The Steve Eshleman Era heads into year three for the Bulldogs and they will look to build off a winning season they had a year ago. Both Cris (senior) and Jon Ong (junior) received Pacific League awards last season and are looking to help guide this team to new heights. Senior guard Jonathan Isip will also look to make his mark on the team this season. The Bulldogs will begin the 2025-2026 season at the San Gabriel Feast Tournament on Wednesday, November 26th with a doubleheader with La Serna and Mark Keppel. Those games are expected to start at 4:45 and 6:10 p.m. respectivley. 

Burroughs Bears 

2024-2025 season results 5-22 overall 0-8 Pacific League (8th place) 

Missed Playoffs 

Head Coach Jason Weatherall 

The John Burroughs Bears enter the new season with a new head coach for a third straight year, but Jason Weatherall, who spent the last 10 years as a varsity assistant at St. Francis High School is looking to provide long term sustainability for the program in his first year as the head coach of the Program. Seniors Teegan Bradfrod (last year’s Pacific League’s Honorable Mention), Elliot Lawrence and Ethan Cooper will look to show why this Bears team is ready to return to contention even though some people may think it’s still gonna be a lengthy rebuild for them. The Bears will begin the 2025-2026 season on Friday, November 21st against Pacifica Christian/ Santa Monica at the Warrior showcase on Friday, November 21st with tip off slated for 6:30 p.m. 

Crescenta Valley Falcons 

2024-2025 season results 18-9 overall 8-0 Pacific League (Won Pacific League Title) 

CIF Southern Section Division 2A Playoff Results: Lost to Blair 69-80 in the opening round of the playoffs 

Head Coach DoVall Boykins 

The Falcons sent Shawn Zargarian and Vaughn Zargarian off into the sunset with a Pacific League championship but a new era dawns into CV Boys Basketball as DoVall Boykins is ready to make his own footprint in his first season on the job. Andrew Ghazarian and Arman Bedrossian are looking to lead Crescenta Valley to back to back league titles and they are key players to watch out for heading into the new season for the Falcons. They will begin the 2024-2025 season at the Hart Tournament on Monday, November 24th. 

Glendale Nitros 

2024-2025 season results: 17-10 overall 5-3 Pacific League(4th place) 

CIF Southern Section Division 3A results: Lost to Aquinas 59-68 in round two of the postseason 

Head Coach Art Samontina 

The Glendale Nitros enter the new season looking to continue contending for a top four finish in a top heavy Pacific League. Seniors Mason Manalo and Nareg Kasparian will look to carry the load for the Nitros in hopes of a return to the playoffs in which this team is expected to make another run at a top four spot. The Nitros will begin the 2025-2026 season with a home contest with Valley Torah on Monday November 17th at 7:00 p.m. 

Hoover Tornandos 

2024-2025 season results 13-12 overall 3-5 Pacific League 

Missed Playoffs 

Head Coach Ryan Barseghian 

Year two of the Ryan Barseghian Era should be a better season for the Tornados as they will look to get back into the playoffs. It’s very possible that the Pacific League could see six winning teams in the league standings this winter. Shanna Boutwell and Mark Khatchoyan should be key pieces to the puzzle in hopes of getting Hoover back into the playoffs. The Tornados will begin the 2025-2026 season on Monday November 17th with a road contest with Workman with tip off slated for 6:00 p.m. 

Muir Mustangs 

2024-2025 season results: 7-23 overall 2-13 Pacific League (7th Place) 

Head Coach Wendell Jackson 

Missed playoffs 

Wendell Jackson takes over for Brenton Moore as a new chapter embarks on the John Muir Mustangs boys basketball team. Jackson spent last season as an assistant coach at Arcadia High School under Nick Wallace Sr and will look to build his own mark with the Mustangs. Andra Ball and Evan Hill should be key players on the rebuilding Mustangs squad heading into the new season. The Mustangs will take on Shalhevet on Thursday, November 20th at 7:00 p.m. on the road to begin the new season. 

Pasadena Bulldogs 

2024-2025 season results: 19-8 overall 8-1 Pacific League (2nd Place) 

CIF Southern Section Division 2A Playoff Results: Lost 57-66 to Irvine in round two of the playoffs 

Head Coach Anthony Brooks. 

The Pasadena Bulldogs are looking to reclaim the Pacific League title this year after finishing behind Crescenta Valley as the runner up a year ago. This team has one of the deepest rosters talent wise in the entire league. Josh Irving, Troy Wilson and Tim Anderson will look to help the Bulldogs get back to running the Pacific League again. Irving has committed to playing college basketball at Texas A&M next season. The Bulldogs will begin the 2025-2026 season with games against Metamora, Peoria, Mt Bethel Christian Academy and Grace Christian Academy at the Kevin Brown Memorial T.O.C Tournament in Peoria, Illinois from Wednesday November 26th-Saturday November 29th. 

This will be the last year of the Pacific League’s current format. In the 2026-27 school year it will be expanding from eight teams to 16 teams with the Pacific League merging with the Rio Hondo League. Stay tuned for coverage of Pacific League Boys Basketball Coverage all season long.