Construction work at Lawrence High School is not expected to affect attendance at this season’s basketball games.

“We’re feeling good about it,” said Tom Bracciano, the school district’s director of operations and facility planning.

Earlier, several LHS parents accused school officials of not doing enough to protect their sons’ and daughters’ home-court advantage after learning attendance might be limited because of some of the main gym’s exits being torn up during basketball season.

As part of a $54 million bond issue passed last year, the gym’s locker rooms are being renovated and a west entrance is being renovated.

Bracciano met Tuesday with the project’s contractor, B.A. Green Construction Co.

“We’ve had some slight delays,” he said. “We found some asbestos we didn’t know was there and some old pipe had to be replaced. But we think we’re OK.”

Still, school officials said they were exploring the possibility of using Haskell Indian Nations University’s Coffin Sports Complex if work on the LHS gym is delayed.

“We’re trying to double-book the first few games – just in case,” said LHS assistant principal Matt Brungardt.

Kathy Padia, whose son, Nathan, plays basketball for LHS, welcomed news of Bracciano’s assessment.

“In all honesty, I feel the administration at LHS has really been on top of this – after it was brought to their attention,” Padia said. “I think they’ll see it through.”

She said playing home games in the gym – aka “The Jungle” – was important to her son, a senior forward, and others on the team.

“I hope people understand that the guys on this team have been playing together, off and on, since the third or fourth grade,” Padia said. “They love that gym and they really want to play their senior year there.”