Armenia National Basketball team player to attend Glendale college

Published: Thursday August 02, 2012

Gor Plavchyan at Grant High School.

Glendale, Calif. - 6'7" Gor Plavchyan of the men's Armenia national basketball team will soon begin his collegiate basketball career as a freshman student at Glendale College. Plavchyan will play both the power forward and center positions.

Plavchyan rose to prominence under Coach Howard Levine at Grant High School in Van Nuys, CA. As a senior, Plavchyan averaged 18 points, 12 rebounds and 2 blocked shots per game. Grant High School recorded a school record 27 wins in the 2011-2012 season and has won 28 straight league games over a two and a half year period.

Following in the footsteps of Mike Danielian, a former Grant High School star and teammate of Plavchyan on the Armenia national team, Plavchyan was twice named to the All City of Los Angeles team. Also, during the 2010-2011 and 2011-2012 seasons Plavchyan was named Player of the Year in the East Valley League and All San Fernando Valley and All Area by the San Fernando News and Los Angeles Times.

Plavchyan has also previously competed in FIBA Europe international competition as a member of Armenia's boy's national team of players sixteen years old and younger.

Carl Bardakian, head coach of the Armenian national team, stated "It is critical that Gor continue to develop his basketball skills, as well as academically, at Glendale College. Gor must be an impact player for Armenia in FIBA Europe Div. C competition in 2014. Our opponents such as Moldova, Malta, Andorra, etc. have very strong and experienced post players, with great length and size."

Bardakian also noted "I have been contacted by numerous NCAA Div. I coaches about Gor's recruitment. I am confident that after two years under the coaching staff at Glendale College that Gor will have even more collegiate opportunities."

Basketball team introduced in LA

The House of Armenia celebrated and officially introduced the Armenian Men's National Basketball team to the community and media last March, Armenia's Consulate in Los Angeles reported.

The team, comprised of Armenian-American, Armenian national and international athletes is led by Carl Bardakian, an experienced basketball coach based in Los Angeles.

The men's team is looking forward to achieving the same success which the Armenian Women's National Basketball team had in 2011, by winning the silver medal in the European Championship. In order to reach their goal of entry into the European Championships, the men's team is currently accepting offers for sponsorships. The young men chosen for the team have expressed immense passion, determination and undoubtedly possess the talent to make it far within the International Basketball Federation.

The official introduction of the National Team was witnessed by some of the most prominent and successful sportsmen present and past, who offered words of encouragement to the young men as they embark on the European Championships this summer. In attendance were boxer Vanes Martirosyan and arm-wrestler Vazgen Soghoyan, as well as retired star athletes including footballer Sergey Bondarenko and gymnast Artur Akopyan.

Consul General Grigor Hovhannissian conveyed immense pride and faith in the talents and capabilities of the men's team.