Wyoming Area senior guard Lukas Burakiewicz.
Submitted Photo
COVINGTON TWP. — Lukas Burakiewicz could only sit and watch as his Wyoming Area boys basketball team climbed to a first-place tie in Wyoming Valley Conference Division 2 last season.
Burakiewicz had his 2023-24 season ended by a torn anterior cruciate ligament in the fourth game and underwent reconstructive knee surgery in January.
Since being cleared in late July, Burakiewicz has felt ready for his return and he proved that point in Friday night’s opener when the senior guard joined sophomore Luke Kopetchny in leading Wyoming Area to an impressive, 62-54 victory over host North Pocono in the first round of the James Akens Memorial Tip-Off Tournament.
“I just came out and treated it like any other game from whenever I played before,” Burakiewicz said after hitting four 3-pointers and providing 22 points, five rebounds, four steals and three assists. “I just tried to help my team win and contribute.”
Instead of playing a major role in last year’s breakthrough, Burakiewicz is part of trying to keep Wyoming Area near the top.
“It was hard to sit and watch, but I’m just happy to be back,” he said.
With Burakiewicz and Kopetchny showing the way, it appeared that the Warriors are not ready to go away.
“We knew that nobody expected anything from us this year after losing so many guys last year,” he said. “But everybody in that locker room knew we were going to come out and win this game and set the tone early and show people that we’re a legit team this year.”
Kopetchny did his part in setting the tone. He finished with 25 points, six rebounds, three steals and three blocked shots.
“He’s a guy that we need big time this year,” Warriors coach Anthony Macario said. “He’s really going to make his presence known throughout the league.
“He came in and played a heckuva game tonight.”
Kopetchny had nine points in the fourth quarter with the help of making five of his last six free throws.
Burakiewicz hit three 3-pointers in the second quarter when Wyoming Area moved ahead for good, then teamed with Kopetchny to build the 44-36 lead the Warriors carried into the fourth quarter.
“I’m so proud of him and I’m so happy for him because of the adversity he’s gone through the last two years,” Macario said. “He was hurt in his sophomore year as well.”
Anthony DeLucca went 5-for-6 from the line in the fourth quarter to finish with 12 points.
The Trojans were led by Cole West with 15 points and 14 rebounds. His father, Jeff West, was making his head coaching debut after being appointing in a special session of the North Pocono School Board Monday. Anthony Maros added 12 points.
North Pocono’s last lead was at 13-12 early in the second quarter.
Wyoming Area then hit three 3-pointers in less than two minutes with DeLucca connecting followed by two from Burakiewicz for a 21-13 lead.
North Pocono got within two points three times in the third quarter.
First, Kopetchny grabbed an offensive rebound and converted two free throws. Then, Burakiewicz and Kopetchny did all the scoring and set each other up during a six-point streak. Finally, Kopetchny hit a free throw and Burakiewicz followed with the last five points of the third quarter for a 44-36 lead.
Kopetchny had six points in the first three minutes of the fourth quarter for a 13-point lead. After a 7-2 North Pocono run cut the lead to six in the final minute, the sophomore made two free throws with 49.2 seconds left.
DeLucca made four free throws in the last 34 seconds keeping the Trojans from getting closer than six.
Drew Keating grabbed a team-high eight rebounds and also blocked two shots in the win. DeLucca matched Buarkiewicz with three assists.
Shane Pepe came off the bench to make three steals, including one between DeLucca’s free throw shooting in the final 30 seconds.
The Warriors were scheduled to play Pocono Mountain East, a 64-55 winner over Dallas, in Saturday night’s championship game.
