Two fast starts against two divisional opponents have set the stage for two consecutive wins for the Whitehall boys basketball team heading into their annual Zephyr Holiday Classic.

Against the Blue Eagles last week, they continued with an incendiary start, this time scoring 12 points while holding Nazareth to just two. Those last two starts have put them in the driver’s seat, combining for 37 points while holding their opponents to just 13.

Head coach Jeff Jones said that before the game, they discuss getting off to a fast start, something they want to establish every time they take the floor.

“We’ve come out of the locker room with a really good pace,” said Jones.

That was clearly evident against Nazareth when they scored 12 points in the opening quarter. That quick start led to the eventual 66-56 win, and puts them tied for second place in the division along with Parkland. Jones said that while playing that uptempo style, another aspect that emerges is their ability to get a lot of players involved offensively.

“It’s not just one or two guys, we’re spreading the points around,” he said.

They had four players in double figures against Nazareth, led by Logan McGinley who netted 17. Charles Hudson knocked down 16, while Zach Gilbert and Jackson Buskirk each had 10.

Jones also likes the way Mikey Esquilin is handling his role in the offense, noting that while he didn’t score until the final period against the Blue Eagles, he was getting his teammates involved, and then eventually got to the foul line in the last quarter to help seal the win.

As this season has unfolded, Jones said that he’s limited the number of plays in an effort to simplify things. They’ve been running a man-to-man defense for the lion’s share of the time, and that style seems to fit this young squad.

“We’re trying to keep it as simple as we can,” said Jones. “We’ll stick to doing what we do pretty well and not overthink things.”

After such a good three-game stretch, the Zephs took a week off before their annual Holiday Classic. Jones said that in one respect, you want to continue playing to keep up that momentum, but on the other hand, the layoff affords them to work on some things and make improvements.

That’s what they’ve been doing as they’ve been preparing for the Holiday Classic which began Dec. 29 against North Hunterdon who had a five-point lead at halftime as the Lions erupted for 43 first-half points, while the Zephs had 38. However, the Zephyrs won the following two periods, outscoring the Lions by 18 over that span to win 77-64.

In the win, McGinley and Esquilin each had 17 to lead the way. Additionally, Buskirk added 15, while Kayden Walschberger dropped in 11, and Gilbert netted 10.

That win puts them in the finals against Faith Christian- Sellersville on Dec. 30 and marks the fourth time this year that they’ve gone over 70 points in a game.

Jones said they’re averaging 70 points per game this season, making it one of the most proficient offenses he’s ever been around during his tenure. He said some of that stems from their uptempo style which gives them more possessions, and in turn, more opportunities to score, which they’ve been doing.

However, they’re also giving up more points than past Jones coached teams, saying that’s one of the trade-offs of playing that style.

“That’s the give and take,” he said.