The Arcadia High School (AHS) Varsity Boys Basketball season dunked off with a groundbreaking addition to their calendar- the first ever Pacific League Boys Basketball Media Day – which took place on Nov. 4 in the North Gym at AHS. This new addition provided a unique platform for coaches and star players from all eight schools in the Pacific League – Arcadia, Burbank, Burroughs, Crescenta Valley, Glendale, Hoover, Muir and Pasadena – to interact with each other and engage with the media; which including but not limited to: Apache News and The San Gabriel Valley Tribune.

This event was not just a gathering of players and reporters, but a strategic opportunity for coaches to unveil their game plans for the upcoming seasons and what they hope to bring to the courts. Each coach had the opportunity to delve into their team’s strategies, offering the media and fans a deeper understanding of what to expect on this court this season.  

“It was an inaugural event…everyone was able to speak about their program [and] the history of their program, as our league has a rich history,” stated Varsity Head Coach Nickolas Wallace in a later interview. 

The event  also helped to shine a spotlight onto the star players of each school. The players are as follows: senior guard Jordan Dollar and sophomore guard Noa Eteuati-Edwards of Arcadia, junior guard Kevin Dehbashain of Burbank, senior shooting guard Omar Paynid and sophomore shooting guard Evan Baker of Burroughs, senior guard Vaugh Zargarian of Crescenta Valley, senior forward/center Anthony Agkhanyan of Glendale, sophomore guard Justin Herrera and senior guard Zach Van Patten of Hoover, senior guard Brandon Hardy and senior guard Bradley Jones of Muir, and finally senior point guard Jovan Jester and junior guard Desmond Every of Pasadena. 

Acknowledging the transformative impact of recent developments, Coach Wallace reflected on the positive outcomes this event had for players.

“I think that players have already benefited from this; we were able to get some of the bigger network and communication out. And that was pushed out amongst everybody so some of the guys [players] who didn’t have much exposure were able to get much exposure that day,” stated Coach Wallace. 

The interaction between players and the media not only gave publicity to the athletes, but helped to build connections among players. 

“It was fun. I got to know the other teams and got to know who’s our competition and who we are playing against,” stated Dollar. 

Events like these contribute to the athletes’’ visibility and prospects for college scouting, paving the way for promising future careers in basketball. This collective exposure fosters connections that could heavily contribute to each athlete’s individual career.  

“Yeah, I think we got a lot of publicity at the end of the day,” commented Edwards when asked whether or not Arcadia should continue this tradition. 

It is without doubt that the 2023 Media Day was a success and has left an indelible mark on the league’s landscape. With the spotlight now on the courts, the players, and the coaches; our best wishes go out to the Arcadia Apaches for a season filled with excitement and triumph!

Photo courtesy of Arcadia DCI interns Jodie Tran and Stephanie Jing