Whitehall boys’ basketball coach Jeff Jones is a firm believer that summer basketball can help shape the upcoming season.

So far, Jones has plenty of anticipation and expectation for the regular season.

The Zephyrs won their first four games in the Lehigh Valley High School Summer Basketball League. In their win over Executive Education, guard Luke Keppel had a team-high 24 points.

The team is currently 8-2.

“Summer has been good so far,” said Jones about his team’s start. “We only lost two seniors from last year, and we have everybody back.

“In spite of having some guys involved with volleyball and track, we have been able to put together four straight wins.”

Reserves guard Aiden Parvel and forward Gavin Kneller are the lone seniors moving on from last year’s 12-12 season that ended with a loss to Pocono Mountain West in the Class 5A district semifinals.

The Zephyrs did storm out to a 7-2 start, and they then scuffled their way through the remainder of the season.

Jones believes his team can reverse a trend that plagued them last season.

“We believe this will be a different season,” offered Jones. “We need to win the games that we are supposed to win, and also those we needed to win. We were in too many situations in which we let some games slip away.

“These guys are well aware of it, and we need to change it.”

Keppel, who averaged better than 16 points last season, will be the team’s main offensive outlet. He will be a senior this winter, and is getting plenty of attention from college coaches.

“He has been playing very well,” said Jones. “He also has had a good AAU season. We expect him to enhance his game.”

Along with Keppel, junior center A.J. Hines, who averaged 10.5 points last season, should be a major force.

“He has done a great job down low,” said Jones. “He has two years of varsity experience, and you can see how he improved. He knows Luke is our scorer, but he also knows what he has to do.”

Seniors Ethan Ringenberger, Sebastian Orechena, and Gavin Roberts all will be a major part of the rotation. Fellow senior Evan Kovalchik suffered a major elbow injury during baseball and a timeline for his return can’t be determined.

Sophomore Seth Howderewski made a lasting impression as a freshman last season.

“He gained a lot of valuable playing time,” said Jones about Howderewski. “He became part of our rotation and was a regular contributor.”

For Jones and his troops, it will be about producing a productive summer. On a more positive note, Joey Groller, who was diagnosed with Acute Myeloid Leukemia last year, has seen playing time this summer (The Press will feature Groller in an upcoming story).

“We can definitely gain from a good summer,” said Jones. “Our league is very good, and our division is very difficult. There aren’t any off nights. We basically have everybody back, and we have a good group.”