Luke Kopetchny made it to the rim and the foul line frequently while leading Wyoming Area’s historic run to the Wyoming Valley Conference Division 2 boys basketball title.
When he was done, the sophomore also found his way on to the all-state basketball team selected by Pennsylvania Sports Writers.
Wyoming Area’s Kopetchny, Scranton Prep’s Brycen Martin and Old Forge’s Cameron Parker were all among the players honored on the team, which was released early Sunday morning.
Kopetchny and Martin are third-team choices in Class 4A. Parker made the third team in Class 2A.
Using the athleticism that makes him an all-state choice as a wide receiver in football and a threat in jumping events in track and field, Kopetchny made big impact on the WVC Division 2 race.
Following heavy graduation losses from a team that reached a playoff for the division title, it was not easily evident that Wyoming Area was on the brink of its first WVC championship in 54 years. The continued emergence of Kopetchny and the return from injury of senior Lukas Burakiewicz, however, helped make that a reality.
“I thought our expectations were still pretty high for our team and myself,” Kopetchny said. “I know other people didn’t think that way because we lost those seniors, but our expectations were around the same, they were still pretty high with the group we had.”
One thing that did not match Kopetchny’s expectations was where his points came from while leading the division at 20.7 points per game. He made 26 shots from 3-point range, just under one per game, but scored nearly twice as many points from the foul line, which he visited more than six times per game while connecting on 78 percent of his attempts.
“I thought I would shoot a lot of threes,” said the 6-foot-2 Kopetchny, who also contributed 10.3 rebounds per game. “I kind of evolved into getting to the rim, shooting a bunch of free throws and playing more of an inside game, which has helped me.
“I feel like in a game now where everybody’s shooting, I’m kind of getting inside and making plays there, so it’s a little different.”
The brilliant sophomore year as a three-sport athlete has Kopetchny chasing some admittedly lofty goals. After posting 846 receiving yards last fall, he wonders if 1,000 in a season is within range and he’d like to become a 1,000-point career scorer in basketball before his junior year ends.
“I hope to make all-state again for two spots,” Kopetchny said. “Three times in a row is a pretty big ask, but if I did it as a sophomore, why can’t I do it as a junior and senior?”
Martin has been a big part of championship efforts and state tournament wins at Scranton Prep throughout his career.
This season, the Pittston resident led the Cavaliers to a Lackawanna League Division 1 championship, an appearance in the District 2 final at the arena and a trip to the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association state quarterfinals.
Martin, who is committed to play at Ursinus, averaged 17.3 points, 3.8 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 1.5 steals this season. He made more than 40 percent of his 3-point attempts to finish his career with 1,125 points.
Parker helped Old Forge go 21-6, win a District 2 title and beat every Class 2A opponent it faced except state champion Linville Christian in the PIAA quarterfinals.
Parker shot 47 percent from the floor and 77 percent from the line while averaging 15.5 points, 3.2 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 1.7 steals.
