With the Stellar Summer Basketball League behind them, the Whitehall boys will look to close out their offseason with a couple of more tournaments starting this week.

The boys finished the Stellar Summer Basketball League at 7-5, which placed them in the middle of the pack among the Big School Division. Emmaus (10-2), Parkland (9-2), Bangor (9-3) and Nazareth (8-4) were the top four teams.

While the games were scheduled to be played on the asphalt courts at Cedar Beach in Allentown, a large number of games this summer were moved indoors because of the rain that hit the Lehigh Valley during the Stellar schedule. Head coach Jeff Jones believed that playing in a gym helped their growth, especially on the offensive end since they didn't have to deal with either wind or heat that can affect a team's performance.

"It helped us because it played to one of our strengths," said Jones. "I think we shot the ball well from the perimeter."

They had a number of players who shot the ball well from the outside. Among those filling it up from long distance were Mikey Esquilin, Kayden Walschburger, Jackson Buskirk and Logan McGinley.

Charles Hudson and Devin Martinez also had a big impact on their success this summer, with Martinez patrolling the paint and crashing the boards, while Hudson's all-around floor game gave them a boost in transition, whether it was grabbing a rebound to begin the fast break or getting in the passing lanes and making the steal for a breakaway basket.

Jones said that the most important takeaway from this summer was how well they competed against the top competition. They gave Emmaus fits, leading at halftime before the Hornets pulled away down the stretch. He also said they played well against Allen and Liberty which will help a young team's confidence as they prepare for the upcoming season.

That's a good reason to be optimistic as they get ready for the next phase of their busy summer. They'll also be competing in the Catch A Rising Star Tournament and open up against Medical Academy Charter School at 6:00 p.m. on July 10.

Once that's finished they'll also be playing at the A-Town Throwdown at SportsFest later this month.

Finally, they'll be heading to St. Joseph's University at the end of the month to participate in Phil Martelli's Basketball Camp, a three-day affair that attracts teams from the greater Philadelphia area.

Jones said they'll be taking 10 players to Philly where they'll participate in six games over the three days.

Both Catch A Rising Star and St. Joes's gives them the opportunity to compete against top competition.

"That should give us a good indication of where we are," said Jones.

It's an important summer for Whitehall since they have to replace most of their starting roster. Jones said that the kids have been getting acclimated well to varsity competition, and while every team will look different once the actual season starts, it's still good to get in the work during the summer.

"We have a bunch of guys who really enjoy playing basketball," said Jones.

He said summer also is the time where players hone their individual skills, looking to get better each time they step on the court. The skills will then blend into a more structured team atmosphere once practice starts.

Through it all, Jones said it's been a good run so far.

"I think it was a really good summer for us," Jones said.