Burbank splits basketball doubleheader with Crescenta Valley in regular season home finale 

Published by

Lorenzo Antonio

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Lady Falcons move to two games shy of an undefeated league season and Burbank upsets CV 79-77 in the boys game 

A basketball team in blue uniforms gathers for a pre-game huddle on the court, while spectators fill the bleachers in the background.
A group of athletes and officials gathered under a decorative balloon arch in a gymnasium, with blue and white balloons and seating in the background.

In the regular season home finale for the Burbank Bulldogs basketball teams, they split the doubleheader with the Crescenta Valley Falcons.

Three coaches wearing matching black jackets with basketball logos pose together in a gymnasium, with bleachers in the background.

The Lady Falcons pounded the Lady Bulldogs 70-25 and the Bulldogs upset the Falcons 79-77 in the boys contest. Anik Nortikyan led the Lady Falcons with 21 points and Anthony Jawiche led the Bulldogs with 22 points in the win over CV. 

A basketball game in progress with players wearing blue and black uniforms on the court, while spectators are seated in the stands, surrounded by banners celebrating various sports.
A girls' basketball team standing together on a gymnasium court, with a scoreboard showing the game time and score. The team is wearing white uniforms with blue accents, and there is a mural of a bulldog on the wall behind them.
Burbank High School gymnasium featuring a basketball game, with cheerleaders and supporters holding signs in the stands. Decorations and banners celebrating school pride are visible on the walls.

The evening began with the tipoff of the Lady Bulldogs and Lady Falcons contest. Burbank came off a 67-19 win over Hoover, which, combined with a Glendale loss to Pasadena, which clinched their ticket to the CIF Southern Section playoffs. 

A high school girls' basketball game in progress, showing two players on the court, with a scoreboard displaying 5:25 remaining in the second period. The gym features bleachers filled with spectators and various school banners hanging on the walls.
A high school girls' basketball game in progress, featuring players in blue and white uniforms, with a scoreboard showing 5:34 remaining in the fourth quarter and a score of 19 to 17.
High school basketball game in a gymnasium, featuring players in action and a scoreboard displaying the game status.

The Lady Falcons exploded offensively to begin the opening quarter. They went on a 12-1 scoring run with points by Ava Gharib, Anik Nortikyan, and Kelin Shajanian.

A basketball game in progress, featuring female players in action on the court. The scoreboard shows 20 seconds left, and a large bulldog mural is visible on the wall. Spectators are seated in the background.
High school girls' basketball game in progress, featuring players in blue and white uniforms on the court, with a bulldog mural on the wall and spectators in the background.

Annabelle Setaghian, Manina Tuputupu and Charlotte Hartwell helped Burbank get to eight points in the opening frame, but the deficit remained substantial.

Basketball game in progress with players from two teams, one in black and one in white, competing for the ball in a gymnasium decorated with school banners and a bulldog mascot.
A middle school basketball game in progress, featuring players in blue and white uniforms on the court, with a bulldog mural on the wall and spectators in the background.

Crescenta Valley ended the first quarter with a 20-8 lead. 

A basketball game in progress inside a gymnasium, featuring two girls' teams in action. Players in white are on offense while players in black defend. Spectators are seated in the bleachers, with a scoreboard indicating time and score.
A basketball coach instructs a group of female players during a timeout in a gymnasium, with team banners and scoreboards in the background.
A basketball team huddles during a game, with players in blue and white uniforms gathered around a coach on the sidelines. The scoreboard shows 8 minutes left in the game, and banners decorate the gymnasium.

The Lady Falcons continued their offensive parade to begin the second quarter with another double-digit run, this one a 13-0 scoring run with points by Ameila Parmentier, Shajanian, Nortikyan and Gharib.

A group of seven cheerleaders in matching blue and white uniforms holding pom-poms, smiling and posing together in a gym.
A group of cheerleaders in blue and white uniforms huddle together on a gymnasium floor, with spectators seated in the background and banners hanging from the ceiling.
A basketball game in progress at a high school gymnasium, with players in action attempting a shot towards the hoop. The scoreboard displays a score of 27 for the home team and 8 for the visiting team, with 4:45 remaining in the game. Banners and the American flag are visible in the background.

Crescenta Valley continued its high pace of play throughout the first half and led by 30 at the halftime break. 

A basketball player in a white jersey attempts a shot while other players and spectators are present in a gymnasium decorated with school banners and a bulldog mural.
A basketball court with players in black uniforms walking on the court during a game, referees present, and spectators in the stands. Scoreboard shows the score as 24-54 with 8 minutes remaining.
A basketball game in progress with the scoreboard showing 6:34 left in the third period, home team 14 and visitor team 41. Players are in motion near the basket, with one player attempting a shot. An American flag and banners for past sports championships are visible in the background.

Throughout the second half the Lady Falcons continued to move as if on cruise control to put away the Lady Bulldogs, completing the 35-point victory. 

A group of family and friends celebrating a basketball player, standing under a blue and white balloon arch. The player is holding a framed jersey and bouquet of flowers while surrounded by loved ones in a gymnasium.
A group of eight people poses in front of a blue and white balloon arch. In the center, a cheerleader holds a bouquet, flanked by two individuals holding cutouts of her face. The others stand beside them, displaying a framed jersey with the number 20.

Prior to the start of the girls game the senior night celebration honored two members of the Lady Bulldogs basketball team. Those seniors, from the graduating class of 2026, are Yvette Soukazian and Charlotte Hartwell.

Two banners displaying basketball players Charlotte Hartwell and Yvette Soukazian from Burbank High School, each holding a basketball and wearing blue uniforms.
Two female basketball players pose together in front of a blue and white balloon arch on a gymnasium court during a basketball event.
Two young women stand together in a gymnasium, posing near a decorative balloon arch in blue and white. One wears a blue and white sports jersey with the number 20, while the other wears a black sports uniform and holds a bouquet of flowers. Spectators are seated in the background.

Two seniors from the Lady Falcons were also recognized at center court as Mila Hairpetian and Ameila Parmentier shared the spotlight with Hartwell and Soukazian.

A group of female basketball players stand together under a decorative balloon arch in blue and white colors, wearing matching team jerseys. They are smiling and pose for the camera, celebrating an event.
A group of three young women standing under a balloon arch at a gymnasium, with one wearing a 'Senior' sash and sporting a basketball uniform, while another wears a similar outfit, and the third is in a blue jacket.
Two high school senior cheerleaders posing for a photo under a blue and white balloon arch in a gymnasium, with spectators in the background.

“Senior night is always special for all the girls that put their heart into high school basketball for four years of their life,” said Alexa Mirzaian. Mirzaian added that Hartwell and Soukazian are amazing girls that elevated this program throughout their high school careers as leaders. 

A group of six people poses together under a decorative balloon arch with blue and white balloons. The focal point is a young woman in a basketball uniform with the word 'Burbank' on it, standing beside her family members and friends in a gymnasium setting.
A family poses together at a basketball event under a colorful balloon arch. The woman in the center wears a blue and white jersey with the number 20, while two adults stand beside her, one in a maroon shirt and the other in a black patterned t-shirt.

Burbank drops to 19-8 overall and 8-5 in Pacific League play. Crescenta Valley improves to 21-4 overall and 12-0 in Pacific League play, now two wins away from clinching a Pacific League title and an undefeated season in league.

High school basketball game in progress, with players preparing for a free throw. The scoreboard shows the home team has 27 points and the opposing team has 63 points with 5:14 remaining in the game.
A basketball player in white uniform taking a free throw shot in a gymnasium with blue and white decorations and spectators in the background.
A high school girls basketball game in progress, with players wearing blue and white uniforms. The scoreboard shows 20 seconds remaining in the quarter. A large bulldog mural decorates the wall behind the court, and spectators are seated in the background.

The Lady Bulldogs will return to action on Tuesday, February 3rd with a road contest with their crosstown rival  John Burroughs Lady Bears to conclude the regular season with tip off slated for 5:15 p.m. 

A basketball game in progress with two teams on the court. Players in white and blue jerseys are actively engaging in the play. Spectators are seated on bleachers in the background, with banners hanging on the walls.
A girls' basketball game in progress on a gymnasium court. Two teams are in action with players in white and black uniforms. The scoreboard displays a countdown and team banners are visible on the walls, including a bulldog mascot mural.

The Lady Falcons will return to action on Saturday, January 31st with a home contest against the Pasadena Bulldogs as they will look to move a game closer to perfection.

A basketball game in a school gymnasium, with players in motion on the court, seated spectators in the background, and school banners displayed on the walls.
A girls' basketball game in a gymnasium with teams in blue and black uniforms, players interacting on the court, and spectators in the background.

Tip off will take place at 5:15 p.m. at Crescenta Valley High School. 

A high school basketball team huddled together on the court, with players in white jerseys and blue shorts. A crowd of students watches from the bleachers, with banners and blue and white balloons in the background.
A group of cheerleaders in blue and white uniforms, posing together on bleachers, with pom-poms in hand.
Three men in matching black jackets posing together at a basketball game. The men are smiling and standing in front of a bleacher filled with spectators.

The Burbank and Crescenta Valley boys concluded the festivities in primetime, and it was a thriller. The Bulldogs entered following a 63-53 win over Hoover and Crescenta Valley came off a 48-39 win over Muir back on Tuesday night. 

High school basketball players are preparing for a tip-off in a gymnasium, with spectators seated in the background watching the game. Banners hang from the ceiling, and an American flag is visible on the wall.
High school basketball game in progress with players on the court and spectators in the stands, featuring banners and an American flag in the background.
A basketball team huddled together during a game, with a scoreboard displaying the time and score. Championship banners hang on the wall behind them, highlighting achievements in various sports.

Anthony Jawiche and Avo Papikyan combined to get the Bulldogs off to a fast start and a 5-0 lead. Jawiche opened the scoring with a three-point basket and Papikyan recorded a layup. 

A high school basketball game in progress, featuring two teams competing. The scoreboard shows the home team leading 18 to 11 with 3:50 remaining in the period. Players in white and blue jerseys are actively engaged in the game, while banners and posters can be seen in the background supportive of the teams.
High school basketball game in progress, with players from two teams near the basketball hoop. The scoreboard shows a score of 23 for the home team and 17 for the visiting team with 2:12 remaining in the second period.
A basketball game in progress at Burbank High School, featuring players in blue and white jerseys. A scoreboard shows 3:52 remaining in the game with a score of 18-11. Banners and a school motto are visible in the gym.

Arman Bedrosian got the Falcons on the board, converting an and-one play after scoring while being fouled. His three-point play cut the lead to 2 points. 

High school basketball game in progress with players from two teams on the court, spectators in the bleachers, and a scoreboard showing 32-21 with 5:57 remaining.
A youth basketball team huddles together on the court during a game, with spectators in the background seated in bleachers.

Though the teams began the night trading punches, the Bulldogs eventually controlled the first quarter and led 28-19 entering the second quarter. 

A basketball game in a high school gymnasium, featuring players in white and dark uniforms, a referee overseeing the game, and spectators watching from the bleachers. The scoreboard shows the home team has 59 points and the visiting team has 27 points.
High school basketball players in action on the court, with a bulldog mural on the wall and a crowd observing from the bleachers.

Kaleb Walker began the second quarter by scoring a layup to put Burbank up by 11 and Andrew Ghazarian responded by nailing both of his foul shots to make it a 21-30 game. The Falcons closed the gap with the Bulldogs with points by Arman Bedrosian, and Dylan Shaghoian to cut the Burbank lead to six.

A cheerleading squad in blue and white uniforms performs in a gym filled with spectators. Banners hang from the ceiling, displaying school sports achievements, and a large sign featuring the school's alma mater can be seen.
A high school basketball game in progress, featuring two teams on the court. The home team in white jerseys and the visiting team in blue jerseys are positioned near the basket as spectators watch from the bleachers. A scoreboard shows the score and remaining time.

Though Papikyan and Blake Finnigan responded to increase the Bulldog lead, Crescenta Valley would not go away. The entertaining second quarter ended with the Bulldogs still leading, albeit by just five points, 44-39. 

A basketball game in an indoor gymnasium, featuring two teams in action on the court, with a large bulldog mural on the wall. Spectators are seated in the background.
A high school basketball game in progress, with players in blue and white jerseys on the court. Fans are seated in the bleachers in the background, and a scoreboard shows the current score.

Finnigan and Dylan Shaghoian came out of the break trading baskets. The Falcons never gave up and kept pace with the Bulldogs, even after being down as many as nine to start the second half.

A high school basketball game in progress, with players in white and blue jerseys on the court and spectators seated in the stands.
A high school basketball game in progress, featuring players in white and blue jerseys. The court is set up with a visible scoreboard and spectators in the bleachers watching the action.

Even though it was a back and forth third quarter, Burbank still held a seven-point advantage heading into the final frame. 

A group of high school basketball players huddled around their coach during a timeout in a gymnasium, with a scoreboard displaying the score in the background.
A basketball team huddles around a coach during a timeout in a gym, with players in white jerseys discussing strategy while spectators watch from the stands.

With a tight game entering its final eight minutes, it remained to be seen if a comeback was in the works for the Falcons or if the Bulldogs could hold on to complete the upset victory.

High school basketball game in progress, players wearing blue and white uniforms, spectators in the stands, with a bulldog mural on the wall.
A competitive high school basketball game in progress, featuring players from two teams, with spectators in the background. The scoreboard shows the score tied at 67 with 7:43 remaining in the game.

Both teams played until the final whistle and the Falcons had the ball for the final possession.

A high school basketball game in progress with players from two teams, one in white and the other in blue, competing under a mural of a bulldog on the wall. The player in white is attempting a shot while being guarded.
A high school basketball game in progress, with players in blue and white jerseys on the court. The scoreboard shows time remaining, score, and fouls. An American flag hangs in the background, along with championship banners.
High school basketball game in progress, with players in blue and white uniforms competing on the court, and a crowd of spectators in the background.

Dylan Shaghoian attempted a game-winning three-point shot, but was unable to convert, and Burbank held on for their biggest win of the season, defeating Crescenta Valley by two points. 

A group of young athletes poses together in a gym under a decorative balloon arch of blue and white colors, celebrating a team event or achievement.
A group of young male athletes posing under a decorative balloon arch in a gymnasium, celebrating an event. They are wearing blue athletic uniforms, and one athlete is sitting with a championship belt.

The Bulldogs defeated CV for the first time in boys basketball since the 2020-2021 season with this win. “A lot of people believed in this team’s ability to beat a talented Crescenta Valley Falcons team.” said Steve Eshleman. 

A group of basketball players posing for a team photo under a blue and white balloon arch in a gymnasium, with spectators in the background.
A group of seven young basketball players posing under a large arch made of blue and white balloons, inside a gymnasium decorated with team banners.

Prior to tip off seven graduating seniors from the Burbank High School boys basketball program were honored and celebrated with their families. Those seven seniors are Anthony Jawiche, Cris Ong, Arthur Khachatryan, Jonathan Isip, Blake Finnigan, Nicolas Niazi and Giordan Lewis.

A male basketball player in a jersey stands with his family under a balloon arch, holding a bouquet of flowers. Two family members stand beside him, smiling, while spectators are visible in the background.
A group of four people poses for a photo during a basketball event, with blue and white balloons in the background. Two young men wear sports jerseys, and two women stand beside them, one holding a bouquet of flowers.
A young basketball player in a jersey holding a basketball stands between a woman with a bouquet of roses and an older man. They are posing under a balloon arch in a gymnasium, with spectators in the background.

“It was my last regular season home game before the playoffs and this win meant so much to me and my fellow senior brothers.” said Bulldogs senior forward Anthony Jawiche.

Two male basketball players pose with a woman and a man under a balloon arch during a celebration event. The woman holds a bouquet of flowers and the players are in their team jerseys.
A group of four people celebrating under a blue and white balloon arch in a gymnasium, with one person holding a bouquet of flowers. The background shows an audience in the bleachers.
A group of five people, including a young basketball player in uniform holding flowers, posing under a decorative arch made of blue and white balloons at a gymnasium. In the background, spectators can be seen seated in bleachers.

Jawiche added that senior night was a special night for him and his Bulldog brothers, but beating Crescenta Valley made it extra special.

Two people posing under a blue and white balloon arch at a basketball court, with spectators in the background.
Two individuals posing together under a blue and white balloon arch at a gymnasium, with spectators seated in the background.

With the win, Burbank improves to 19-7 overall and 8-5 in Pacific League play and Crescenta Valley drops to 17-8 overall and 9-3 in Pacific League play.

Basketball players warming up on the court under a scoreboard, with a bulldog mural on the wall and an audience in the background.
A group of high school basketball players wearing blue shirts and striped pants warming up on the court before a game. The gymnasium features banners and trophies on the walls, along with the American flag.

Both teams will return to action on Saturday, January 31st. Burbank will host Valor Academy at 2:00 p.m. and Crescenta Valley will take on a powerhouse Pasadena Bulldogs squad with tip off slated for 6:45 p.m.

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