With the Whitehall boys basketball team ready to embark on their annual summer excursion to St Joseph’s University, this offseason has been about who will seize the opportunities for a roster spot.

Last year’s senior-laden squad was in contention for a championship while competing in their various summer leagues and tourneys. That class knew they would get the lion’s share of the minutes once the season opened, while this year’s squad is looking to carve out their own identity during the summer, understanding that how much playing time they get is determined by their play on the court. Nothing is guaranteed.

“I think what the kids realized, and the coaches too, is that literally every spot is up for grabs,” said head coach Jeff Jones.

He said that the kids recognize that and they’ve been eager to showcase what they can do. Moreover, Jones said that this summer hasn’t been about wins or losses. It’s who’s willing to fight for those rebounds or come away with the 50-50 balls. And by that criteria, it’s been successful.

“We were pleased with how hard they played,” said Jones. “We wanted to see who’s going to compete and who’s going to play hard and we’re excited for the winter.”

Jones said that once this weekend’s games are concluded, they’ll have played about 30 games. They participated in the Allentown Summer League, the Cedar Beach Basketball Showcase (formally the Stellar Construction Catch A Rising Star tournament), SportsFest and the St. Joe’s camp.

Their biggest success came at the Cedar Beach Showcase as they went 3-2. Jones said they played well over those five games.

“We played pretty well in those games,” said Jones.

Throughout the summer, Jones said that they worked on some things that they can get better at, and that will get them pointed in the right direction once the season starts.

He’s also had a good turnout this summer, especially during their open gyms. Jones said that was a cause for optimism as 20-30 kids from freshman to seniors worked out during those mornings.

“I was really pleased with that development,” said Jones.