(Mesa, AZ) The Park University Gilbert men’s and women’s basketball teams had its games against Westcliff University postponed due to a power outage at Bell Bank Park in Mesa, Ariz. There was an outage localized in the Mesa area around the park which saw power lost for approximately 1200 people including everyone at the Bell Bank Park.
The women’s game was underway when the power went out with the Bucs up 8-4 with just under six minutes to play in the first quarter at approximately 5:35 p.m. Emergency generators restored minimal lights within seconds of the outage. The initial report from the power company was power would not be restored until approximately 7:40 p.m.
Park and Westcliff women’s head coaches Jeff Fore and Kyle Rouse decided for player safety it would be best to postpone the contest.
With power set to be restored by 7:40 it was decided to wait and attempt to play the men’s game which was originally slated to commence at 7:30. Fore, who is also the athletic director at Park Gilbert, placed an 8 p.m. drop dead time to start the contest as Westcliff is slated to play Benedictine Mesa tomorrow afternoon starting at 1 p.m. and finishing this game too late would not allow the Warriors enough rest in-between contests.
If power was restored by 7:40, it would allow each team 20 minutes of warm-up and the ability to start by the required time. Unfortunately, at 7:40 the estimated time for restoration of power was adjusted to 8:20 p.m. by the power company and it was decided to postpone the men’s game as well.
A decision on when these contests will be made up has not been decided as both schools will need to discuss the matter with the conference.
The Buccaneers return to action on Sunday at 2 p.m. against the University of Saint Katherine at Bell Bank Park.
Press Release courtesy of Park University Athletics – Preston English
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