Hard work seems to be paying for for Jim Thorpe's freshman basketball phenom Kayley Kovac.

Kovac was named to the 2014-15 Class AAA All-Star basketball squad on Thursday. Kovac was a third team selection and was the only basketball player girls or boys in the Times News coverage area to receive an All-State acknowledgment."It was unexpected and awesome news," said Jim Thorpe head basketball coach Rob Kovac. "It was definitely a pleasant surprise. I've coached a ton of great basketball players, but it's an unbelievable feeling when it's your own kid. I know firsthand how hard she's worked for this and all the sacrifices she has made throughout the years."She's missed a lot of sleepovers and birthday parties because she's been working on her game."Kovac is the second Jim Thorpe All-State selection in the last three years. Celeste Robinson made the 2012-13 AAA team.Kovac led the Times News area in scoring, averaging 24.59 points per game this season and accumulating a total of 541 points. Kovac scored a career-high of 33 points on two separate occasions this season against Panther Valley and Lehighton."I see the satisfaction in her and she realizes that the hard work does pay off," said coach Kovac. "I can see the sense of accomplishment, and that's rewarding for me."One of the first things Kayley did was jump on Twitter and thank all of her teammates for their supTwitter and thank all of her teammates for their support. These girls share such a close bond with each other."The young Jim Thorpe team will be dangerous over the next few years, as they've gained a season's worth of experience led by Kayley Kovac."We missed the playoffs by one game and that left a bitter taste in our mouth," said coach Kovac. "This definitely doesn't take that away, but it shows that we are that good, and we are close to being on the verge of something special at Jim Thorpe."