Todd Beamer boys basketball wins Holiday Classic tournament

Head Coach Brent Brilhante surpasses 100 wins with the TBHS basketball program.

By Benjamin Ray • January 3, 2022 1:10 pm

The Todd Beamer Titans boys basketball team won the 2022 Tournament of Champions Holiday Classic tournament at Franklin High School on Dec 30.

“I love these guys. It’s a lot of fun,” said Titan Head Coach Brent Brilhante. “I’m happy to have these guys and watch them grow.”

It was win No. 103 for Brilhante, a significant milestone in the coach’s career.

“It means a lot to me for the kids who were a part of it,” he said about reaching, then surpassing, the century mark. “I’m humbled by it all. I don’t care about the numbers, I want the kids to win.”

Todd Beamer entered the tournament with a 5-2 record, but went undefeated winning all three tournament games. The Titans are now tied for the most wins in the North Puget Sound League (NPSL) with Kentridge, a team that also stands at 8-2.

After the Kentwood loss, the Titans have won four games in a row.

“We were down, but Mumu, our leader, lifted us back up,” said junior Will Tellis about teammate senior Mumu Basmeh.

In the championship game, Todd Beamer took down the host team, Franklin, 71-54. At one point the Titans trailed by eight points in the second quarter. But through free throws and three-point shots, Todd Beamer took their first lead 31-28 and wouldn’t look back.

The Titans took a 14-point lead into the locker rooms for half time, scoring 28 points in the second quarter.

The phrase “Live by the three, die by the three” doesn’t carry much weight for coach Brilhante.

“We’re shooters. We got some guys who can shoot; I’m going to let them shoot,” he said.

In the two losses, Todd Beamer has given up 56 points (Kentwood) and 82 points (Federal Way). The only other team to score over 60 was Puyallup in the first game of the season they scored 61 points.

The defense hasn’t allowed over 60 points in over a month, a feat that Brilhante takes pride in.

“In this tournament they played hard. They defended with their hair on fire,” Brilhante said.

The Titans were led by two juniors Caleb Berry and William Tellis and senior Mumu Basmeh. All three Titans had 18 points in the championship. Basmeh and Tellis were honored with all tournament achievements; Tellis won the MVP award as well.

Tellis won his first-ever MVP award over winter break, and along with his 18 points, he snagged five rebounds, dished out three assists and had two steals.

“I had a little thought that maybe I would win … When they announced it to me, I was happy,” said Tellis.

Basmeh had five assists and three rebounds and two steals on top of his 18 points. “We just got to keep working hard. If we stay together, everything will fall into place,” Basmeh said. “We got confidence right now.”

However, Brilhante says there was a third player who should have been recognized at the tournament.

“Caleb Berry should have been up there, too, he played just as well as anybody,” said Brilhante. Berry recorded 10 steals in the Titans’ first game of the tournament.

Beamer is 1-2 in conference play putting them around the middle of the pack. With league play beginning this week, it is prime time for the Titans to move up in the standings.

The Titans first game of 2023 is at home against Kennedy Catholic Saturday, Jan. 7.