Pictured above: Player of the Year Eli Yusavage from Valley View drives against two-time, first-team, all-star Ryan Nealon from Abington Heights. (Tim Drewes Photo)
Eli Yusavage and Mike Kurpis have been recognized for their roles in Valley View’s first divisional basketball title since 2004.
Yusavage was named Player of the Year and Kurpis Coach of the Year on the NEPASportsNation.com Lackawanna League Division 1 boys basketball all-star team was released Friday night.
Valley View won the division title by beating Abington Heights, 50-36, in a playoff after they finished tied for first with 11-2 records.
Yusavage averaged 14.6 points, 2.9 assists and 1.0 steals. He led Valley View in scoring and 3-pointers made while hitting more than 32 percent of his shots from long range.
Kurpis oversaw a team that used its commitment to defense and rebounding to win a title in a division where all five teams qualified for the state tournament.
Yusavage had been a second-team division all-star a year ago on the team selected by NEPABasketball.com, which has since been merged into NEPASportsNation.com for coverage of all District 2 sports.
Ryan Nealon from Abington Heights is a first-team choice after earning the same honor on the NEPABasketball.com team last season.
New faces make up the rest of the first team, including A.J. Kucharski from Valley View, Mason Fedor from Abington Heights, Evan Laybourn-Boddie from West Scranton and Oliver Almonte from Scranton.
The only other player repeating from last season’s all-star team is Tristan Lee from West Scranton, who made the second team for the second time in a row.
The full all-star team list:
LACKAWANNA LEAGUE DIVISION 1
Coach of the Year
Mike Kurpis, Valley View
Player of the Year
Eli Yusavage, Valley View senior
First Team
Oliver Almonte, Scranton junior
Mason Fedor, Abington Heights junior
A.J. Kucharski, Valley View senior
Evan Laybourn-Boddie, West Scranton junior
Ryan Nealon, Abington Heights junior
Second Team
Tony Battaglia, Scranton freshman
Tristan Lee, West Scranton senior
Will Marion, Abington Heights junior
James Pettinato, Scranton Prep senior
Daniel Santaniello, Scranton Prep junior
MORE ALL-STARS
Wyoming Valley Conference Division 1 boys: BOYS BASKETBALL ALL-STARS: Wyoming Valley Conf. Division 1 – NEPA Sports Nation.
Lackawanna League Division 3 boys: BOYS BASKETBALL ALL-STARS: Lackawanna League Division 3 – NEPA Sports Nation.
Lackawanna League Division 4 boys: BOYS BASKETBALL ALL-STARS: Lackawanna League Division 4 – NEPA Sports Nation.
Wyoming Valley Conference Division 1 girls: GIRLS BASKETBALL ALL-STARS: Wyoming Valley Conf. Division 1 – NEPA Sports Nation.
Lackawanna League Division 2 girls: GIRLS BASKETBALL ALL-STARS: Lackawanna League Division 2 – NEPA Sports Nation.
Wyoming Valley Conference Division 2 girls: GIRLS BASKETBALL ALL-STARS: Wyoming Valley Conf. Division 2 – NEPA Sports Nation.
