Tropea All in for Lumen Christi Basketball Run In 2025

By Jeff Steers
JTV Sports

(January 4, 2025 8:00 AM ET) Lumen Christi Catholic High School basketball player Luke Tropea says the Titans play a tough schedule, go all out in practice, and spend hours shooting just for one moment in time.

They look to win a state basketball championship in March of 2025.

In a school that has won more than 55 state titles—in just about every sport—basketball has failed to win one since the school’s inception in the late 1960s.

The Titans are ranked in the top five in most Michigan Division 3 basketball polls this season – depending on who you believe.

“We were ranked No. 1 a year ago but did not realize our goal of winning a state title,” Tropea said. “We are doing what we can to realize that goal.”

Tropea’s father, Josh, is in his third season as Lumen Christi’s varsity basketball coach and led Milan to a state title more than a decade ago. Young Luke was in elementary school but remembers the feeling of winning it all.

“At that age winning a state title was like winning the Super Bowl,” Tropea said of Milan’s feat.

“All of our goals (this year) come down to March.”

Tropea is having another solid season for the Titans. He is averaging nearly 19 points, five assists, and three steals per game for Lumen Christi. The Titans are 7-0 following last night’s win over Detroit Loyola.

Known as a shooter his entire high school career, Tropea is shooting 49 percent from the 3-point line.

“Once you get in the game reps and practice harder like you are shooting in a (real) game, shooting 3-point shots become easier,” Tropea said. “There were nights as a sophomore when I didn’t want to shoot the basketball.”

Tropea helped LCCHS advance to a Division 3 regional title in 2024. The Titans lost to Riverview Gabriel Richard in the quarterfinals – one step away from the final four.

This season may be all or nothing for Tropea as he does not expect to play college basketball.

“I want to concentrate on going to a bigger college – the University of Michigan or Michigan State,” he said. “Playing college basketball is such a big commitment … my education is the next step.”

With a 4.0 grade point average at Lumen Christi, he shouldn’t have any trouble getting into either of those schools.

Tropea helped carry the Titans to the state meet in boys’ tennis this past fall. Being the only senior on the team, he had to offer leadership to some of the younger players.

“My goals on the tennis team were to become a better teammate and carry the team to the state tennis finals,” Tropea said. “Playing No. 1 singles meant you don’t have any easy matches.

“It was very difficult.”

Tropea has enjoyed the friendships he has garnered from playing sports at Lumen Christi.

“I have built relationships that I will carry over the rest of my life,” Tropea said. “That means the world to me.”