It’s easy to think of the tallest guy on the basketball court as the leader of the team. Sometimes, height can be an easy indicator.

Whitehall’s A.J. Hines has lived with the expectations. At 6-7, Hines can be an imposing figure on the court. Last season, Hines became one.

Last season, the Zephyrs advanced the state tournament for the first time since 2005 behind Hines and guard Luke Keppel, who were both their team’s leading scorers throughout the season.

With Keppel graduated from the state-bound team, Hines has emerged to the forefront. Now s senior, Hines began to sharpen his skills for his final campaign when he averaged over 20 points in the Lehigh Valley Summer Basketball League and became more of a recognized presence in the post.

But the soft-spoken Hines will let the results do his talking.

“I think the summer [was] good, and we [were] getting better every game, even though we don’t practice much” he stated. “One of the biggest challenges is finding guys to step up and replace the seniors that left last year.

“Our guys are willing to do that. It was meaningful for us to get to the postseason last year.”

Since his freshman year, Hines has watched his numbers improve. He started playing in kindergarten with first graders and gained more confidence when he later played with his own age group. Hines discovered life in the East Penn Conference (EPC) can be a challenging one.

“I believe my shooting has improved the most since my freshman year,” added Hines. “I wasn’t a leader last year, but I will have to be one this year. I learned it’s hard to win in the EPC.”

Over the last three years, head coach Jeff Jones has watched Hines develop and evolve. The Zephyrs ended their summer season when they made a nice run in the A-Town Throwdown, playing Hempfield, Samuel Fels, and Scranton Prep.

Hines scored 23 points apiece in each of the team’s state playoff games last season.

“A.J. would not have been comfortable being called a leader in the past,” stated Jones. “But he has grown into the position since we only have a few seniors.

“I believe he can be a dominant player in the league this season. His two games in the state playoffs proved he can be that guy. We are really proud of his development.”