Members of the Team Armenia basketball team will be in Fresno this week for a match. Team Armenia photo

The Armenia National Basketball Team will play Costa Rica in the inaugural Jerry Tarkanian Classic on June 6 at Fresno City College.

The game, which is part of Armenia’s efforts to secure its first-ever bid for the 2028 Olympics, also highlights connections with the Armenian and Latin American communities in the Central Valley.

“Bringing the Armenian National Team and Costa Rica to the Fresno area is a tremendous opportunity for our Armenian and Latin communities to see their national teams in action and personally connect with the players,” said Armenia Head Coach Rex Kalamian in a news release. 

Kalamian, who has been Armenia’s head coach since 2022, has 30 years of NBA assistant coaching experience and is currently an assistant coach on the Milwaukee Bucks.

The event is being organized by the booster group Friends of Team Armenia Basketball.

Tarkanian, the game’s namesake and Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Famer, started his coaching career at San Joaquin Memorial, where he coached from 1955 to 1957. His coaching career lasted nearly 50 years. 

Tarkanian reached the NBA, where he coached the San Antonio Spurs for 20 games during the 1992-93 season. 

Following his short stint in San Antonio, Tarkanian returned to Fresno to coach the Fresno State men’s basketball team from 1995 to 2002, where he compiled a 153-80 record with two NCAA tournament appearances. The 153 wins rank second in Fresno State history behind only Tiny Grant’s 194. 

“What makes this event even more special is the chance to honor Coach Jerry Tarkanian and recognize his tremendous impact on the game and the Central Valley,” Kalamian said. 

Tickets for the game start at $35 and are available for purchase on the Armenia Basketball website.