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Bartlesville High has its new boys’ basketball coach, and he has ties to Northeast Oklahoma.

Jake Christenson, who was most recently the head coach at 4A Cushing, will pace the sidelines at Bruin Field House this winter.

FULL INTERVIEW WITH JAKE CHRISTENSON

Christenson enters coming off a 19-9 season at Cushing, where the Tigers finished ranked No. 13 in Class 4A. He had been at Cushing since 2022 following a brief stint as head coach at Mulhall-Orlando. Cushing was an Area team in 2023-24 under Christenson's guidance. 

Christenson talks about his initial thoughts on taking the job at BHS. 

He replaces former head coach Tommy DeSalme, who resigned his post to head back to the junior college level earlier this month.

BHS Athletics and Activities Director Thad Dilbeck says he’s excited about bringing Christenson on board.

Christenson’s name will be known to basketball fans in the area, as he had a successful run as head coach at Pawhuska from 2016-2020. He had other stints as head coach in Barnsdall and Shidler earlier in his career. 

After Cushing’s great 2024-25 season Christenson was tapped to coach the Large East All State team this offseason.

Dilbeck says Christenson is well thought of in the region.

This is only the fourth Bruin head coach since 2001, in a program that had major success in the 80s, 90s and early 2000s.

Former AD Tim Bart coached the Bruins from 2001-2013. K-State standout Clent Stewart had the job from 2014-2024, with DeSalme this past season.

Bartlesville has only three games each of the past two seasons. Christenson says that kind rebuild excites him.

More on this story planned over the next few weeks.