By Rick Assad
This year’s edition of the Burbank High boys’ basketball team is 13-3 and off to one of its best starts in many seasons.
Everything seems to be pointing in the right direction and by all accounts the campaign is going to get even better, but on Tuesday night, after the girls’ varsity took the floor against host Pasadena, and fell 43-30 in a Pacific League game, the boys’ game was halted in the first quarter after high winds and a firestorm hit Eaton Canyon hills, above Altadena, and close to Pasadena.
“Personally, I’ve never been through anything like stopping a game after it had started but clearly that was a good decision to get folks home,” said second-year Burbank coach Steve Eshleman. “I’m looking forward to the resumption of the game.”
Getting his team to play after it’s been started shouldn’t be too hard according to Eshelman.
“Our guys will know it’s just a 24-minute game instead of 32 and that we are four points down to start,” he noted.
Tighe Eshleman, the Burbank assistant coach, offered his insight into what happened.
“It all escalated very quickly. The winds outside the gym in Pasadena were unlike anything I’ve seen. It was hard to walk,” he said. “We were notified from parents that a fire had starred nearby right at tip off. We were told the athletic directors were headed outside on the phones to access the situation.”
Eshleman knew that something ominous was looming and that it might be wise to leave.
“I think everyone in the gym immediately felt uneasy as we started play because the gym started filling with smoke,” he offered. “When we brought the kids out to the bus, the fire was headed right for the neighborhood. Pretty wild stuff.”
Burbank Athletic Director Alli McKain was at the game, and she said it’s more important that everyone is safe.
The games will be played when it’s safe to do so for the athletes and everyone involved, she acknowledged.
“All the games this week have been canceled because of the fires and the air quality,” she said. “We are going to resume the games next week, on Monday, as long as the winds and air quality are better.”
McKain added: “We will try to resume the games next week, but it depends on how the Pasadena schools are,” she pointed out.
As it stands, on Wednesday, several major fires have scorched the Los Angeles area and have caused countless damage and destruction to thousands of homes.
They include the Palisades, Eaton, Hurst, Woodley, and Lidia fires which have burned thousands of acres and have forced more than 100,000 people to evacuate their homes.
This reporter was covering the Crescenta Valley versus Burroughs girls’ game when it was stopped with just under two minutes to play in overtime and the Bears ahead 52-48.
The reason for the stoppage was a power outage as the lights went out and after waiting 45 minutes, it was decided that the game would resume on Monday at 4 p.m. The boys’ game will be played at 5:30 p.m.
