Bartlesville basketball tourney revs up Thursday

Mike Tupa

It’s been 21 seasons since former Bartlesville High School basketball coach Tim Bart organized the first ConocoPhillips/Arvest Invitational Basketball Tournament. Current Bruin head coach Clent Stewart was just a junior that season (2002-03) at Tulsa Union High School.

On Thursday, Stewart will lead the Bruins into the 22nd annual edition of the event, which will consist of a girls’ tourney and a boys’ tourney. Eight games are planned each day, Thursday through Saturday.

Bartlesville High School's Jacob Veit (2) is introduced prior to an earlier season basketball game in Bartlesville.
Bartlesville High School's Jacob Veit (2) is introduced prior to an earlier season basketball game in Bartlesville.

Bartlesville boys open tourney play at 8:30 p.m. Thursday against Southmoore. The Bartlesville Lady Bruins play at 7 p.m. Thursday against Tulsa Memorial.

The boys’ field includes: Bartlesville (6A, 1-4), Southmoore (6A, 4-3), Carl Albert (5A, 4-3), Ponca City (6A, 1-4), Broken Arrow (6A, 6-1), Yukon (6A, 1-5), Bixby (6A, 5-2) and OC Millwood (3A, 6-2).

The girls’ field includes: Bartlesville (6A, 2-4), Broken Arrow (6A, 5-5), Tulsa Memorial (5A, 2-3), Glenpool (4A, 7-0), Del City (5A, 3-3), Stillwater (5A, 1-6), Bixby (5A, 5-2), OC Millwood (3A, 5-3).

Thursday’s girls’ schedule is:

10 a.m., Bixby vs. Millwood.

1 p.m.: Del City vs. Stillwater.

4 p.m.: Broken Arrow vs. Glenpool.

7 p.m.: Bartlesville vs. Tulsa Memorial.

Thursday boys’ schedule is:

11:30 a.m.: Bixby vs. Millwood

2:30 p.m.: Broken Arrow vs. Yukon

5:30 p.m.: Carl Albert vs. Ponca City

8:30 p.m.: Bartlesville vs. Southmoore.

Friday’s slate will be determined by Thursday’s results.

The Bartlesville boys will play at either 2:30 p.m. or 8:30 p.m. Friday, depending whether they lose or win on Thursday.

Bartlesville High School's Mikka Chambers (13) goes up for a rebound during basketball action earlier in the season.
Bartlesville High School's Mikka Chambers (13) goes up for a rebound during basketball action earlier in the season.

The Lady Bruins are slated to take the court at 1 p.m. Friday or 7 p.m. Friday, depending on whether they lose or win on Thursday.

Saturday’s schedule is:

10 a.m.: Girls 7th place (Phillips Gym)

10 a.m.: Girls 5th place

11:30 a.m.: Girls 5th place (Phillips Gym)

11:30 a.m.: Boys 5th place

1 p.m.: Girls 3rd place

2:30 p.m.: Boys 3rd place

4 p.m.: Girls championship

5:30 p.m.: Boys championship

The Bartlesville girls are looking to build on some suggestive promise in December. They dropped two games — both on the road and both against Class 6A competition — by a total of just nine points.

It’s possible one or more girls on the injury list in December could be back for this week’s tourney.

Bartlesville boys have been in a serious rebuilding mode and suffered a handful of lopsided losses. But, they still appeared to be getting better in phases of the game as players started figuring out their strengths and team flow. Bartlesville’s road to the championship game appears imposing — but hopefully sooner than later the Bruins will weave together their ultimate symbiosis.

This article originally appeared on Bartlesville Examiner-Enterprise: COP/Arvest Invitational Basketball Tourney set to blast off Thursday

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