In this year’s Via All-Star Classic, Whitehall will have a prominent presence both on the court and on the bench.

Once the 41st annual installment of the Via All-Star Classic tips off this Saturday, both Jeff Jones and Dwight Respsher will be leading the West squads. Jones will coach the boys, while Repsher will pilot the girls, a team that features three of his own players.

Repsher will be coaching the West team that includes Taylor George, Ivanna Jones, Jill Kreglow, Quinn Bachman (Catasauqua), Kali Buckenmeyer (Central Catholic), Sophia Eckroth (Northampton), Nadine Ewald (Parkland), Mikaela Koenig (Northwestern Lehigh), Allie Rossino (Lehighton), Sarah Staggered (Parkland), Lauren Sterner (Northampton) and Erika Thomas (Northwestern Lehigh). Their game begins at 2:00 at Northampton Community College.

Repsher said that they’ll hold two practices before Saturday’s game, both of those scheduled for Zephyr Gymnasium.

It’s his first time coaching the Via All-Star Classic, and he feels it’s a good way to establish a rapport with players who you’ve been coaching against the last few years.

“I think the nice thing about all-star games is that you get to know the players a little bit on a different level,” said Repsher.

He’s spent a lot of time trying to stop Parkland’s Ewald and Central’s Buckenmeyer, so the opportunity to coach them will be an enjoyable experience. Repsher also said that he’ll enjoy seeing the different sides of all the players he’s coaching.

The West will be pitted against the East which features players from Easton, Nazareth, Notre Dame- Green Pond, Freedom, Moravian Academy, Wilson, Phillipsburg, and Palisades.

Repsher said that if the kids participate in all the events that precede the game, including the clinics where they get to work with some of the kids, as well as attend the banquet, they can find out what Via is all about.

“It’s really a nice experience for them,” said Repsher. “They get to find out what Via’s about and get to see that everybody’s not quite as fortunate as they are.”

Via of the Lehigh Valley is a nonprofit agency that provides services for children and adults with a range of disabilities as noted on their website. Their mission is to help the people they serve reach their full potential.

Jones said it will be the first times he’ll serve as the head coach of the Via game as well. He’ll now have the opportunity to guide payers who’ve been on the opposing end of his chalk talks. That list includes Devante Cross (Parkland), Mario Delker (Northampton), Jack Dreisbach (Parkland), Hunter Greene (Lehighton), Zay Jennings (Central Catholic), Parker Jones (Northwestern Lehigh), Shaquan Mason (Catasauqua), Brady Mengel (Northwestern Lehigh), Tyler Miller (Northampton) and Mason Stahler (Palmerton).

Jones said they’ll prepare this week and once they do, he’ll have a dynamic backcourt at his disposal with Cross and Jennings making it difficult defensive assignment for the opposition. Their game follows the girls with a scheduled start of 3:30 p.m.

Jones looks forward to working with the players from both leagues. While Whitehall didn’t have any seniors this season eligible for the Via game, he’ll still get to work with a talented group that should give the East all it can handle.

“It’s just a matter of getting the guys together and getting to know each other,” said Jones.

Jones said that Whitehall assistant Corey Frantz will help him coach the squad, as will Parkland head coach Andy Stephens.

“We’re really looking forward to it,” he said.

He also said it will be a fun experience coaching some of these players who he’s met casually through summer leagues and different area events.

As for the Xs and Os, he doesn’t foresee anything too intricate, just a couple of inbounds plays so they have a game plan for those occasions.

“It’s an all-star game and it should be fun,” said Jones. “It’s going to be the typical kind of all-star game, going up and down the floor. It should be a fun game for everyone.”

The banquet this year, which was held on March 23, will feature former Dallas Cowboy receiver Michael Irvin as the keynote speaker.

Jones said that former Nazareth alum Chuck Dibilio who was a standout in both football and basketball, and a Via scholarship recipient for basketball, is scheduled to speak as well.