After dropping their first conference game of the season, the Whitehall boys basketball team found a way to bounce back, using a second-half surge to post their ninth win of the season.

They scored 25 points in the pivotal third quarter to gain some separation from the visiting Patriots, and then continued to get balanced scoring the rest of the way for a 71-56 victory.

Head coach Jeff Jones said that their ability to score has been a relative constant all season, but the first half against the Pates didn’t fit that script. He said that they shot the ball poorly from all over the floor. Fortunately, their defense was stout enough to help them go into the break with a seven-point lead.

Once they emerged from intermission, they found their shooting stroke.

“We shot the ball better and we pressured a little bit more,” said Jones, noting that their press helped create some baskets.

Jones said that once they started to generate offense, they began to gain control of the game.

“When you make shots, it looks pretty good,” he said.

On a night whenWhitehall honored individuals and a team, inducting them into their Hall Of Fame, the Zephyrs displayed the kind of teamwork that will hopefully help them achieve the level of success that their fellow alums enjoyed during their careers.

In a pre-game ceremony, Whitehall inducted Andrew Fahringer, Dave Steckel, Robert Tacker, Marcy Berner Turkovich, as well as the 1980 softball team that finished fourth in the state.

The Zephs once again received balanced scoring, something that’s been a trademark of the 2016-2017 rendition of Whitehall basketball.

Kayden Walschburger dropped in 15 points, while Mikey Esquilin added 11 and Zach Gilbert and Kasai Harrison each netted 10.

Additionally, Devin Martinez scored eight points, while Jackson Buskirk had five.

Jones has repeatedly said this season that no one player is looking to put up 15 shots a game. Most will get between seven and eight, and that makes for five guys accounting for roughly 60 points per game.

“That’s really been a positive this season,” said Jones.

He also liked the way they were able to disrupt the Pates with the pressure. He said they used 3/4 court pressure and that created some turnovers which led to baskets. It’s a newer wrinkle but it may become more of a permanent fixture.

“It’s something that we’re looking to work on,” he said.

Overall, it was their total defensive effort against a team that’s averaging over 62 points per game this season that had Jones excited.

“I was pretty happy with that,” said Jones.