Suspensions Recommended After Brawl At Ponca City/East Central HS Game

Tulsa Public Schools confirms they are recommending suspensions to two coaches and one student after a fight at a girls’ basketball game in Ponca City.

Tulsa Public Schools released a statement Friday after their investigation into the fight at the game involving East Central High School and Ponca City High School.

The district said it launched an investigation and are now making several recommendations to the OSSAA. The district recommends suspending the head girls’ basketball coach, Gary Pitts for the next two contests.

They also recommend suspending the assistant girls’ basketball coach, which is Pitt's daughter, for the rest of the school year. The district says one student-athlete will be suspended for the next two contests.

TPS said at least one, possibly as many as four, spectators who rushed the court during the fight will be banned for the rest of the year from any TPS athletics event. The district also said the coaching staff and team will participate in training to ensure they all understand sportsmanship.

Tulsa Public Schools said it apologizes for the incident and wants to convey that sportsmanship is a priority for the district and for the athletics teams that represent the district.

Related Story: Video: Fight After Tulsa/Ponca City High School Basketball Game 

The district released this statement Friday morning:

The Tulsa Public Schools Athletics Staff has investigated the incident that occurred at the conclusion of the girls’ basketball game involving East Central High School and Ponca City High School.

After an in-depth investigation the following recommendations have been sent to the Oklahoma Secondary Schools Activities Association:

Head Coach Girls Basketball Coach will be suspended for the next two contests.

Assistant Coach Girls Basketball Coach will be suspended for the rest of the school year.

One student athlete will be suspended for the next two contests

At least one and possibly as many as four spectators who enter to gym floor will be banned for the rest of this year from any TPS athletics event. This is still under investigation to determine if more than four were involved.

The coaching staff and team will participate in training to ensure that each individual team member and the coaching staff understands the level of expectation of the Tulsa Public Schools and the OSSAA for sportsmanship.

The Tulsa Public School apologizes for the incident that occurred and wants to convey that sportsmanship is a priority for the district and for the athletics teams that represent the district.

Ponca City Public Schools suspended one player for two games and one spectator for the rest of the year.

The district released the following statement:

Suspensions have been handed down in the aftermath of a fight that broke out after the Ponca City
School versus Tulsa East Central girls’ basketball game held at Robson Fieldhouse on December
11, 2018. The Ponca City Public School district has suspended one student athlete for the next two
events along with one adult patron for the remainder of the season. The district is also requiring
those suspended to complete an NFHS Sportsmanship Course before they may return from
suspension.

Ponca City Athletic Director Jason Leavitt said, “The Ponca City Athletic Department and Ponca
City High School would like to apologize to those who have been adversely affected by this
incident. The behavior exhibited at the game was not representative of our athletic program or our
students and will not be tolerated. We have been cooperating fully with the OSSAA and are
continuing our internal investigation, which may result in further actions. We will continue to
educate our students, staff and patrons on the importance of good sportsmanship and being
positive role models. We will also take preventative measures to ensure something like this doesn’t
happen again. As adults, it is always our duty to be teaching and modeling appropriate behavior.”