A chance to represent one’s country in sport is a rare opportunity, but this summer, a select group of basketball players will play overseas for Armenia’s under-16 women’s basketball team.
Eight high school varsity girls’ basketball players from Southern California have been given the chance to represent the Armenia U16 women’s basketball team this summer in Kosovo as part of what is known as the European Small Countries Tournament, a continental competition run by basketball’s international governing body FIBA.
“I’m just thankful the opportunity to do this and I’m excited to represent Armenia,” said Leah Davidian, a sophomore at Glendale High who one of 11 members of the U16 international team. “I’m excited to grow its name and make it more popular, especially in a sports aspect. I know the women’s national team last year started to grow its name, so I just want to continue where they left off.”
Added Naomi Kardzair, a freshman from Heritage Christian School in Northridge: “Not a lot of people, especially our age, get to wear their country’s name across their chest. I think it’s a cool opportunity for all of us. I think we could do some good damage there.”
The team will be under the guidance of head coach Tadeh Mardirosian, who leads the girls’ varsity program at Glendale High and spearheads the senior level of the Armenian women’s national team.
“I want to thank every community member that has supported us in every aspect and for the families that are committed to this journey and for me to have a small part in leading young student-athletes that will represent their countries,” said Mardirosian.
The six-day continental tournament features eight teams divided into two groups and begins July 8 and ends July 13. The U16 Armenian women’s national team will face seven other countries in its quest to win gold; those countries include Cyprus, Georgia, Gibraltar, Malta, Albania, Moldova and host Kosovo. Armenia is placed in Group A, which consists of Cyprus, Georgia and Gibraltar. The games will be streamed on the FIBA YouTube account at youtube.com/@FIBA.
The eight players on the 11-member team hailing from Southern California consists of area high school varsity girls’ basketball players. Davidian is one of two Glendale High varsity girls’ basketball players on the national team, joining Alina Panossian, a freshman. The two Nitros and Kardzair join Crescenta Valley’s Ava Gharib and Kelin Shajanian along with Areni Ohanian of Pasadena Poly, Mila Festekjian of Holy Martyrs, and Allexa Valencia of Village Christian as the international team’s American-based players. Gharib, Shajanian and Ohanian were part of last year’s team that competed in the same competition in Gibraltar.
“We have full buy-in from the families and the players in all aspects,” Mardirosian said. “From the players, when it comes to practices, they’re gung-ho about it. They don’t miss. They listen. They realize they’re representing a lot more than just themselves. They’re representing Armenia. That’s what will be written on their chest.”
Armenian-based players Anahit Baghdasaryan, Susanna Khachatryan and Elina Khachikyan round out the roster and will join their American counterparts on June 19 in Armenia when training camp starts.
“Each of them are awesome basketball players and great individuals and great students of the game,” added Mardirosian. “They immediately learn that this is a team that needs to be put together and each one’s strength is going to be optimized in their own way, but they’re going to need one another in order to win international competition and they can’t do it by themselves. That’s where me as their head coach led them to a system that starts on the defensive side and leads to a very fast-paced offense.”
Before diving into the tournament, the U16 team will take part in a training camp in Armenia. For some players, it will be their first time in Armenia. Kardzair will be visiting for the first time and is excited about the idea of seeing her homeland. It’ll be Davidian’s second time in the country after previously visiting when she was younger.
“I’m excited to see the area again,” Davidian said. “I haven’t been there for a couple of years and I’m excited to learn about the different history, buildings and people.”
With a break from international play for the senior team, Mardirosian assumed the head coaching role for the U16 with a goal of setting the foundation for the future. Last summer, Mardirosian was tasked to lead the senior women’s national team in international competition for the first time since 2010 as the country did not have a team for 14 years. Now, Armenia is ranked 87th in the world.
Though a majority of the U16 national team players are based in Southern California, Mardirosian hopes the team’s reach will eventually span nationwide and across the pond.
“Armenians are all across the world,” Mardirosian said. “We all want to represent the country, but the reality of it is, [we’re just] starting out [and that’s why] so much of the concentration was with Southern California Armenians. I’m sure in the years to come, it will grow. We will have players from the East Coast. We’ll have players from Australia, Argentina, France, Germany, and so forth.”
The U16 team has been training since March and practices three times a week. To prepare for tournament play, Mardirosian said the team has faced off against top high school varsity teams and participated in a number of summer league and AAU competitions. Kardzair said the prospect of high-level competition leading up to the continental tournament is a confidence booster.
“Again, not a lot of people get to have this opportunity, so just being here three times a week gets us better at a high level,” Kardzair said.
The national team has faced varsity teams from Redondo Union, Granada Hills Charter and Brentwood School, a team that won the 2024 CIF Southern Section Division 1 title and recently reached the championship game in the same division this year. Mardirosian believes the preparation leading up to the tournament will help the team put on a good showing.
“We will podium and the goal is to win gold this summer,” said Mardirosian.
