Bethesda Basketball: One school, three blowouts, zero complaints
The small Anaheim program split its roster to play three Division I teams in 48 hours, losing by a combined 239 points while generating vital revenue.
By Zoe Harrison ·
Bethesda University men’s basketball suffered three defeat in 48 hours this past weekend, losing by a combined 239 points. The team from Anaheim, California, fell to Hawaii by 72 points on Friday. On Saturday, the program split its roster to play two additional games, losing to Pepperdine by 73 points and Southern Utah by 94 points.
Bethesda is a private Christian school with approximately 260 students and no dormitories. Its home games are rare and take place at a Salvation Army gym. For the weekend slate, the athletic staff divided the roster of about 24 players into three groups. Each group traveled to a different location to face a Division I opponent.
Athletic director Leo Balayon noted the logistical challenge with a laugh, calling the situation very different from other schools. The program travels in vans rather than planes or charter buses. Players have worn practice uniforms acquired from the Los Angeles Lakers’ G League affiliate. Balayon said the school could survive without these games, but they would be boring without them.
The schedule provides a necessary financial boost. Division I teams pay Bethesda to serve as their homecoming opponents. Balayon explained that the school answers when these programs call, provided the National Christian Collegiate Athletic Association approves the matchup. The squad sent to Hawaii for the Rainbow Classic will also play Portland on Sunday and UT Arlington on Monday before returning home.
Forward Treveon Lee described the experience as a blessing. He said the attention to detail at a small school prevents players from fading into the background. Lee noted that while outsiders might find the schedule unusual, the players value the opportunity to compete against top-tier competition.
Balayon, a former coach and current professor, built the program with a goal to beat a Division I team. He achieved that milestone on December 16, 2016, when Bethesda defeated Cal State Northridge 100-95. The team won a rematch against the same school in 2021. Since then, Bethesda has gone 0-77 against other Division I opponents over the last 13 seasons. Thirty-four of those losses came by 50 points or more.
The program recruits players seeking second chances, including veterans and those who did not find playing time elsewhere. Balayon plans to use the split-squad strategy a couple more times this season. He prefers traveling to Division I schools rather than hosting them, citing the limited budget and small staff size.
