After a slow start to their 2025-26 season, the Todd Beamer Titans made a statement in the first league game of the season. The Titans traveled to Federal Way and handed the Eagles their first loss, 88-70, on Dec. 8.
“It’s still a process. We are still learning how to play with each other,” said Brent Brilhante, head coach of the Titans. “If they can compete like that every single night and not worry about what name is on the front of the jersey we are going to be pretty good.”
It was a bit of a homecoming for two former Eagles who now suit up for Todd Beamer, with both making an impact early and often for Brilhante.
Doni Burkett and Oscar Garcia both had played for Yattah Reed, Garcia more recently than Burkett, but both left with their heads held high. Burkett had been sidelined with an injury up to the Titans’ third game this season.
“It just felt good to come out and get a good win. It’s our first league game of the year, just wanted to start the season off right,” Burkett said.
Burkett began his high school basketball career as a freshman and made an impact in his ninth grade year for the Eagles. Burkett then moved to Seattle to attend O’Dea his sophomore year, and then transferred to Garfield for his junior season.
But for his senior season, he came back to the city of Federal Way to play for Todd Beamer High School, and he made a statement in his first game back. Burkett scored a game high 35 points and his at-times sporadic offensive style worked all night, especially when making six threes in the game.
“Basketball is a team game, but there is only one little orange ball and he (Burkett) chucks it more than anyone in the country maybe, and we need that. We love that about him. We are going to get our mentality to accept that because he is very skilled about putting the ball in the basket,” Brilhante said.
Doni Burkett takes a fade-away jump shot against Federal Way. Ben Ray / The Mirror
Garcia began his career at Decatur as a freshman before playing his next two seasons at Federal Way, and now is playing his final season at Todd Beamer. Garcia was a beneficiary of “Doni ball” where Burkett just required so much defensive attention from Federal Way that Garcia was left wide open as he finished with 21 points.
“Oscar was huge. He played really big in the first half,” Brilhante said. “He was aggressive and we keep telling him to be aggressive on cutting without the ball. He’s spotting up of course and he’s a good shooter.”
Todd Beamer started the game making a stop on defense, a pattern that would go on for much of the first half. The Titans showed they could compete defensively and on offense, another former Eagle had his best quarter of the game early. De Tre Walker played his first two seasons at Federal Way as well before transferring to Beamer before his junior year.
“De Tre not only the points, but being able to handle the ball against pressure and take the ball off Doni’s hands is huge. That’s a hard thing in high school basketball,” Brilhante said.
Walker had eight first quarter points to propel the Titans to a 24-17 lead at the end of the first. On the Federal Way side, Graham-Kapowsin transfer Elijah Gillespie was the spark. He finished the night with 25 points, and had 10 in the first quarter alone.
The second quarter began with the Titans going on a 11-0 run to really open up the game. Their defense caused significant problems for Federal Way and allowed Burkett to find space and really get going offensively. He ended the first half with 11 of his 35 points as Todd Beamer took a 50-25 lead into the locker rooms at halftime.
Gillespie tried his best to get the Eagles back in the game and in the third quarter. They cut the lead that was at one point 20-points down to just two, propelled by a 9-0 run out of the break. Jaylin Chavers also had his best quarter for the Eagles with 10 points. But a three from Mike Edwards silenced the rally and the Titans were able to control the tempo from that moment forward.
“I was most proud of when they made a couple runs, we didn’t fold at all. We came back and made our runs real quick. That was really, really impressive,” Brilhante said.
Burkett continued to hoist threes and made three in the third quarter and was fouled on another attempt, making all three free-throws.
Elijah Gillespie dribbles the ball up the floor for Federal Way. Ben Ray / The Mirror.
The Titans also have a foreign exchange student from Spain, Daniel Perrote Peligero. In his first rivalry action, the Spaniard was unfazed and scored eight points for the Titans. It’s a group that doesn’t have a lot of experience playing together and they are starting to find their way.
“It starts in practice. We work hard and go at it, but we come together as a team. We do team bonding and hang out at school. It comes together like that,” Burkett said.
It’s the first win at Federal Way against the Eagles for Todd Beamer since Jan. 16, 2014, and just the second time in school history Beamer has won away from home against Federal Way. Two out of the last three meetings have gone the way of the Titans, which is a mere blip on the overall record between these two teams. Federal Way still very much controls that with a 35-6 all-time record against the Titans.
After losses to Kentwood and Tahoma, the Titans are starting to find themselves. “We came in and did what we are supposed to, we were supposed to win this game. Took two tough losses, but just have to bounce back as a team,” Burkett said.
