Morton Class 6A’s top player in state

Butler guard one of three WPIAL stars honored

The COVID-19 pandemic prevented Ethan Morton from finishing his final basketball season at Butler High School on the court. But off the court, Morton’s career has had a grand finale.

The honors keep coming for Morton.

The latest is another player of the year award. The Pennsylvania Sports Writers All-State Teams have been released, and Morton has been named the player of the year for Class 6A.

The award puts Morton, a senior point guard and a Purdue recruit, at the table with a select few players in Western Pennsylvania. The all-state teams and players of the year weren’t picked for each classification until the early 2000s. Since then, Morton is only the fourth player from the WPIAL or City League to be named player of the year in the largest classification. The others are Penn Hills’ Akida McLain (2004), Schenley’s DeJuan Blair (2007) and Hampton’s Ryan Luther (2014).

But Morton is the first WPIAL or City League player to be named first-team all-state in the largest classification three times. He also made it as a sophomore and junior.

Besides being named Class 6A player of the year for the state, Morton also was selected the Post-Gazette Player of the Year (for the WPIAL and City League) and the Gatorade Pennsylvania Player of the Year.

Morton averaged close to a triple-double this year at 22.8 points, 12.8 rebounds and 8.4 assists. He shot 56% from the field and 81% from the free-throw line. He finished his career with 2,198 points, 912 rebounds, 682 assists and 138 blocks.

Morton led Butler to the WPIAL Class 6A championship this season, the Golden Tornado’s first title since 1991. Butler also had advanced to the PIAA quarterfinals, but the PIAA canceled the rest of the

tournament because of the COVID-19 outbreak.

Morton made first-team all-state along with Erie McDowell’s William Jeffress, who signed with Pitt earlier this week. Morton is one of three WPIAL players who made the Class 6A all-state team. Mt. Lebanon guard Jake Hoffman and PennTrafford guard Zach Rocco made third team.

Hoffman, a Post-Gazette Fabulous 5 selection, averaged 21.6 points a game and helped Mt. Lebanon reach the WPIAL Class 6A final for the second consecutive season. Rocco led WPIAL Class 6A in scoring at 23.4 points per game. He will play at United States Military Academy (Army).

Steph Chambers/Post-Gazette Ethan Morton became the fourth player from the WPIAL or City League to be named the best player in the state’s largest classification since the current system was adopted in the early 2000s.