Bartlesville event to spotlight OSU coach Mike Boynton’s growing legacy, charisma

In the 16 seasons (1990-06) he coached men’s basketball at Oklahoma State University, Eddie Sutton amassed 368 career wins, 13 NCAA tourney appearances and two conference titles.

In the 15 seasons since he stepped away from Cowboy basketball, four different Cowboy coaches have combined for 301 victories, seven trips to the NCAA’s Big Dance and no conference crowns.

Current OSU head coach Mike Boynton, Jr. — who will spend part of this weekend in Bartlesville — could be gearing up the Cowboy program for another superior era.

He already is fifth (out of 20 OSU men’s head basketball coaches) in all-time wins (87-73). He trails only the legendary Henry “Mister” Iba (1934-70, 654-317), Sutton (1990-06, 368-151), Travis Ford (2008-16, 155-111) and Paul Hansen (1979-86, 107-89) in career wins.

Coming on board as head coach in 2017 — although he served a year’s apprenticeship in 2016-17 at OSU for Brad Underwood — the 40-year-old Boynton could equal or move past Hansen in career wins into the No. 4 spot.

Boynton’s growing legacy and charismatic presence will be under the local spotlight Friday evening at the Samaritan Sports Spectacular at Bartlesville’s Hilton Garden Inn.

The annual Samaritan spectacular raises funds for its ongoing work in providing essential counseling for area residents, and their loved ones, for mental and spiritual health needs.

In a related press release, Kristin Curd, Samaritan Board of Directors President, explained that: “Funds from the sports spectacular, our largest annual fundraising event, assist with subsidizing costs for client counseling sessions, as well as operating costs for the center. We aim to never turn people away that need assistance.”

Individual seats cost $75, which includes a Dinks BBQ-catered dinner. Sponsorships start at $250. More information is available at supportsamaritan.org.

Boynton is one of several high-profile statewide sports personalities that have headlined the annual fundraiser.

A native of Brooklyn, N.Y., Boynton played his college ball for the University of South Carolina, from 2000-04.

He has made several coaching stops as an assistant on the fast track to becoming a power conference Division I head coach by the age of 35.

Boynton has visited Bartlesville a few times, but this likely will be his first personal contact with the community on a large scale.

“I’ve heard really good things about it,” he said last week during a phone interview about the sports spectacular.

He said he wants to tailor his message to be meaningful for the audience.

Although not a Bartlesville Sports Commission event, the BSC has been an indirect link in connecting Boynton with the event.

BSC Board Chairman Chris Batchelder became one of Boynton’s first friends after he moved to Stillwater.

“Chris Batchelder … is the reason I’m coming,” Boynton said. “We were neighbors when I first moved into Stillwater and we became good friends.”

OSU also has another connection of sorts with Bartlesville, as it has offered a scholarship to Bruin basketball junior-to-be David Castillo. Boynton said he wasn’t allowed to comment beyond that.

During his six-plus years as a resident, Boynton appreciates what the Sooner State has to offer.

“I feel like my children are growing up in a safe place, a place where people are around looking out for them,” he said.

As a younger person coming from New York, “where everything is so fast-paced all the time … I wouldn’t have been able to appreciate a place like Oklahoma,” he continued and characterized living in the state as “really, really cool.”

His objectives for the OSU men’s basketball program are to continue to recruit young talent that is committed to the program and who can expect to compete in the NCAA tourney every year and play against some of the best competition in the country.”

On a more esoteric note, he strives for the players that go through his program to be successful after college, whether it be in a pro playing career or other facets of society, such as “doctors, attorneys, police officers or political leaders,” or whatever worthwhile path they choose.“We are focused on developing young people who are responsible, who are good people,” and who will be good husbands and fathers and who will be making a good impact on their community, Boynton added.

This article originally appeared on Bartlesville Examiner-Enterprise: OSU basketball coach Mike Boynton to headline Bartlesville fundraiser