Okla. HS Postponing Games After School Threats

Tulsa World (Okla.)

http://www.tulsaworld.com/sportsextra/article.aspx?subjectid=230&articleid=20121220_230_B7_TeBrls539251

The Bartlesville Bruins have postponed Friday’s home basketball games against Ponca City as authorities continue to investigate reports that two men with a rifle were seen near the high school on Tuesday afternoon.

“This is a bigger concern than playing a basketball game,” Tim Bart, Bruins athletic director and boys head basketball coach, said. “In a situation like this, you want to be proactive, and we thought it was the right thing to do.”

The school district canceled Wednesday’s final day of classes before the annual holiday break after a witness reported seeing two white males with a rifle on a walking trail near the school around 4 p.m. Tuesday.

Automated messages went out to parents of students around 11:30 p.m. Tuesday, announcing that Bartlesville schools would be closed until Jan. 2.

The community was shaken last Friday when an 18-year-old Bartlesville High student was arrested and charged with plotting to massacre classmates in a planned shooting spree – just hours before the deadly school shooting spree in Newtown, Conn., where 28 people were killed.

Bart said Friday’s games will be rescheduled.

Meanwhile, Saturday’s varsity boys and girls games are still on. The Bruins are scheduled to play NOAH at the Oral Roberts University Mabee Center, following the 2 p.m. men’s collegiate clash between ORU and the University of Tulsa.

Tipoff for the girls game will be around 5:30 p.m., Bart said, with the boys game to follow