Veteran Whitehall head boys’ basketball coach Jeff Jones is well aware of how summer leagues can be a challenge, as well as a preview for the upcoming seasons.

The Zephyrs began the week with an overall 2-4 record, and rising senior 6-7 center A.J. Hines has been their leading scorer. Hines had a summer-high 25 points against Notre Dame.

The Zephyrs’ record may not truly reflect their progress this summer.

“In the last two weeks we have won a pair of games vs. Bangor and Notre Dame, and we lost to Wilson West Lawn and Dieruff by one-point each,” said Jones. “A.J. Hines has been our leading scorer this summer. We are happy to have Seth “Sudge” Hoderewski and Cole Richards back on the court since their baseball and volleyball teams just finished their spring season. The roster continues to be very fluid as vacations are a part of the summer.”

Jones noted the team recently began their summer workouts. Along with Hines, Hoderewski, and Richards, Jones also has liked what he has seen from Dom Gonzalez, Cam Hines, Tanner Dogmanits, and Omari Ratliff.

“We just finished our first week of summer workouts in which we work in the gym and go to the weight room three times a week,” added Jones. “We have had great numbers at the workouts and will continue the open gyms until we take a break for August. We will continue lifting until the season starts, and begin gym workouts again once school starts in early September.”

Last week, rising senior Joey Groller was honored at the St. Luke’s All-Star 2024 Sports Awards at Notre Dame High School. Groller was the recipient of the “Against all Odds” award for overcoming his fight with acute myeloid leukemia.

This week, the Zephyrs also hosted their annual basketball camp for 80 boys in grades three through nine.

On Friday’s final day of camp, they will award a deserving camper as the “Ron Madouse Camper of the Week.” Coach Madouse was a junior varsity coach for seven years before he passed away in April of 2014.