It didn’t take long for Panther Valley head coach Rob Kovac to recognize the talents of Morgan Orsulak.

Years ago, the PV mentor got a glimpse of Orsulak on the basketball court and immediately knew what she could achieve.

“I first met Morgan at a summer workout when she was in junior high,” said Kovac. “After about five minutes, I turned to our assistant coaches and said that is the next thousand-point scorer at Panther Valley.

“From day one Morgan has possessed the unteachable talent of natural athleticism. I’d like to think over the years we helped Morgan refine her craft and turn her into the basketball player she is today.”

Kovac’s prophetic statement came true on Jan. 7 against Dieruff when the PV senior drove to the basket and hit a layup to reach the coveted 1,000-point mark — the 11th girl in school history to reach that figure.

“It means a lot,” said Orsulak. “It’s something I always worked for in basketball, especially looking up to (Panther graduate and current Bloomsburg standout) Maddison Maynard, who hit it in her junior year. It is something I always wanted to accomplish, especially since I’m known a lot for volleyball, so reaching a big milestone in basketball means a lot.

“I couldn’t have done it without all my coaches, especially for believing in me and just working hard in the offseason and during the season.”

Like Orsulak said, she’s best known for volleyball, having reached all-state status and being a two-time Times News/Lehigh Valley Health Network Volleyball Player of the Year.

In fact, she’s headed to Arcadia University in the fall to continue her academic and volleyball career.

“I’ve heard it from a lot of people,” said Orsulak. “They say you’re an (all-state) volleyball player and to accomplish something so big in basketball means everything. I never really thought I would be able to do it, but just all my coaches telling me that if I keep working hard I could accomplish this.

“It did take a lot. It took a lot of work, believing in myself, and just having all kinds of help along the way.”

While some may think Orsulak could have been better in volleyball or basketball if she would have committed to just one of them, the senior believes the complete opposite.

“I definitely think if I just only played one sport, I don’t think I’d be the athlete that I am,” she said. “I think playing multiple sports makes you as athletic as you can be. It helps you in other sports, so I think playing multiple definitely helped me the best.”

Orsulak, who used to be a competitive cheerleader and started playing both volleyball and basketball in sixth grade, believes her participation in volleyball definitely contributes to her cage success.

“I think it gives me a lot of the athleticism I have, like working out and jumping, having leg workouts, and speed,” she said. “I think all that stuff translates from volleyball into basketball, and I think it just helps me be the athlete that I am in general.”

Her speed helps her get to the basket, while her jumping ability gives her a leg up in rebounding.

Both are primary reasons Orsulak’s been able to score points and reach the milestone.

“I’m a driver,” said Orsulak. “I love to drive to the basket. I love to make different types of cuts to get open for my teammates. I also love to drive to the basket and kick out to my shooters so they have open shots. I try to have good court awareness for myself, and also for my teammates.

“And my coaches have always preached rebounding, rebounding, rebounding ... I think rebounding is also something that I’ve always worked for to be the best that I can at that, just getting offensive boards and putting it back up, or getting offensive boards and kicking it back out, but rebounding definitely played a big role in basketball during my years.”

As impressive as Orsulak is on the court — both of them — her presence off the court probably stands out more.

“Morgan has been dedicated and truly showed off her leadership skills this season,” said Kovac. “She was a role model to the younger kids in our system, and our program will continue to reap the rewards of having had Morgan in it even if we no longer get the chance to see her on a regular basis. She is a wonderful young lady who is a great student, is family oriented, and a pleasure to talk to.

“Over thirty years I have had the pleasure of coaching seven all-state players, 11 thousand-point scorers and a multitude of other kids who were just wonderful to be around. I can sincerely say Morgan is one of the most special kids I have had the opportunity to ever meet. I am fortunate to have had the chance to see Morgan mature, grow, and turn into the young lady she is today. I cannot wait to see what her future brings.”