TOP AREA HIGH SCHOOL ATHLETES OF THE LAST 30 YEARS: BARRON TANNER JR.
By Mike Tupa
Aug. 1, 2025
BARTLESVILLE AREA SPORTS REPORT
During his nearly 30 years of covering area high school sports for either the Bartlesville Examiner-Enterprise or the Bartlesville Area Sports Report, Mike Tupa has enjoyed the opportunity to observe some incredible athletes.
This is an ongoing series highlighting each few days one of those athletes from the 1996-97 school year through the present. The list is not in chronological order. The athletes are presented in random sequence.
TODAY’S SPOTLIGHT:
BARRON TANNER Jr. (Bartlesville)
Multiple sports (early-to-latter 2010s)
Tanner brought size, determination, class, well-honed skills and loyalty to the basketball court — and to gridiron green during his one year of varsity football.
Tanner’s father — also named Barron Tanner — played several years in the NFL. He saw action with Miami and Arizona.
A product of the University of Oklahoma, the elder Tanner played in 78 NFL games and registered 118 tackles, three sacks and a forced fumble during his six-year NFL stint. He also intercepted a pass.
But the son didn’t follow in his cleat marks.
In high school Barron Jr. — chose basketball as his primary sport.
He was a dynamic athlete with stoic focus and charismatic presence. He was listed on at least one roster as 6-foot-4 in high school, although he would be listed at 6-foot-6 in college.
Tanner played a significant role on the hardwood for the Bruins — as a four-year starter. He filled the rare distinction of playing for Bartlesville two longest-tenured head coaches — Tim Bart in the season of 2013-14 and Clent Steward from 2014-17.
As a sophomore (2014-15), Tanner played an invaluable part of Bartlesville’s winning season (14-13), which included an appearance in the area playoffs. During Tanner’s three years playing for Stewart, the Bruins recorded 33 wins.
Tanner's unique combination of iceberg resolution and volcanic intensity in a playing style that made him an imposing presence between the foul lines. He also often sported a big smile in the heat of competition, revealing both his love of the sport and his passion of enjoyment in the heat of the battle.
He recorded one of his memorable moments during the 2017 ConocoPhillips/Arvest tourney when he broke down the court, caught a pass from hustling Bruin guard Andrew Gronigan and made the layup deposit to put the Bruins up 60-52 against Enid with less than 30 seconds left. Tanner finished with 20 points in the game.
During the same season he poured in 22 points in a single-digit loss to Sapulpa.
Tanner also made contributions to Bruin success on the gridiron. During a 27-24 win in 2016 against McAlester, he hauled in two passes for 44 yards.
Later in the season, he tallied a 21-yard touchdown off a pass from Garrett Meidl, in a 42-20 rout of Ponca City.
Following high school, he starred in college basketball for multiple schools.
In two seasons (2020-22) at Salem (W. Va.) University, he started 37 games, averaged 9.7 points, and 4.6 rebounds, knocked down 35 percent of his three-pointers, blocked 21 shots, handed out 58 assists and made 39 steals.
In 2022-23 he suited up for East Central University in Oklahoma and started 15 games while averaging 23.2 minutes per game. He nailed 33 percent of his three-pointers, averaged 8.1 points and 3.0 rebounds.
Prior to Salem, Tanner had played one season (2019-20) of junior college ball at Northern Oklahoma College-Enid. In 31 games, he dropped in 8.4 points and pulled down 3.2 rebounds per game. He also dialed in nearly 39 percent of his three-pointers.
Tanner displayed the versatile skills, mindset and leadership that define him as one of the best student-athletes in area sports.
Barron Tanner Jr.