The Via All-Star Basketball Classic Super Saturday of games will be held this weekend, and the week kicked off with the 40th annual Via All-Star banquet on Wednesday night.

Doug Flutie was the keynote speaker at the March 25 event, as the Sands Casino Resort in Bethlehem hosted the annual basketball celebration of 37 local high schools from the Lehigh Valley.

Flutie has been a football hero, receiving honors such as All American at Boston College, 1984 College Football Player of the Year, the 1984 Heisman Trophy Winner, 1991-1994/1996/1997 Grey Cup Most Valuable Player, NFL Pro Bowl, and NFL Comeback Player of the Year.

He and his wife established, the "Doug Flutie, Jr. Foundation for Autism" in 1998 in the name of their son Dougie, Jr. to help less-fortunate families who have children with autism. He also created a cereal, Flutie Flakes, which benefits the Foundation. The Flutie Foundation has raised over $18 million dollars for autism causes.

"Not only was he an outstanding athlete, but his work with the Doug Flutie Jr. Foundation has helped many affected by autism live life to the fullest," said Traci Cyr, Via All-Star Basketball Classic committee chair. "The Doug Flutie Jr. Foundation helps people with autism get access to care; lead more active lifestyles; and grow toward adult independence. Flutie's advocacy and work helps organizations like Via of the Lehigh Valley by continuing to keep autism awareness and the need for services for families in the forefront."

The Via All-Star banquet recognizes members of the Via All-Star teams, Players of the Year, Teams of the Year, awards scholarships for student athletes and inducts members into the Lehigh Valley High School Basketball Hall of Fame, including: Jason Greene, Whitehall, Class of 2005; Liz Hayes, Easton, Class of 2003; Courtney Molinaro, Central Catholic, Class of 2005; Stacy Perryman, East Stroudsburg, Class of 1992 and Brant Weidner, Parkland, Class of 1979.

With the new Eastern Pennsylvania Conference, the Via All-Star Basketball Classic will have new teams for Super Saturday, which gets underway at 10:30 a.m. at Northampton Community College on March 28.

The teams divide schools from the Eastern Pennsylvania Conference, Colonial League and several independent schools based on geography.

North

Bangor, East Stroudsburg North, East Stroudsburg South, Notre Dame, East Stroudsburg, Pius X, Pleasant Valley, Pocono Mountain East, Pocono Mountain West, Stroudsburg

South

Bethlehem Catholic, Dieruff, Emmaus, Liberty, Lincoln Leadership Academy, Salisbury, Saucon Valley, Southern Lehigh, William Allen

West

Easton, Freedom, Moravian Academy, Nazareth, Notre Dame, Green Pond, Palisades, Pen Argyl, Phillipsburg, Wilson

East

Allentown Central Catholic, Catasauqua, Lehighton, Northampton, Northern Lehigh, Northwestern, Lehigh, Palmerton, Parkland, Whitehall

The Via All-Star Awards Banquet recognizes members of the Via All-Star teams, Players of the Year, Teams of the Year, awards scholarships for student athletes and inducts members into the Lehigh Valley High School Basketball Hall of Fame.

The Via All-Star Basketball Classic raises funds for Via's services for children and adults with disabilities. Via has been serving our community since 1954. Via's mission is to help the people we serve reach their full potential. Via gives hope to families across our communities by working hand in hand with parents to give their kids a chance for early success through speech and physical therapy. Via works every day to help people find jobs in our community so that they can have a satisfying job of their choice. And Via helps people, from teens to those at retirement age, connect and live in their community by volunteering and participating in recreational activities.