Around the Valley: Lehigh Valley Summer Basketball League begins Thursday night

The Lehigh Valley Summer High School Basketball League begins Thursday night with nine games.This years league features nine schools in the small-school division: Brandywine, Catasauqua, Lehigh Valley Academy Charter, Lehighton, Northern Lehigh, Salisbury, Saucon Valley, Southern Lehigh and Warren Hills.The big-school division features 15 teams: Allen, Allentown Central Catholic, Bangor, Dallas (District 2), Easton, Emmaus, Executive, Freedom, Liberty, Nazareth, Northampton, Notre Dame-Green Pond, Parkland, Whitehall, and Wilson West Lawn (District 3).The games are held Tuesday and Thursday nights, primarily at Whitehall High School.

The league will take a break between July 1 and July 8 for the Fourth of July holiday and between July 8 and July 15 for the annual Bash at the Beach tournament, which will be held July 10-13.The last night of the regular season is July 22 prior to the start of the A-Town Throwdown, which will be held July 24-27.The games start Thursday night with nine games set for 6, 7 and 8 p.m.

starts.At Whitehall Highs Dick Tracy Court, Catasauqua plays Northern Lehigh at 6, Liberty faces Wilson West Lawn at 7, and Whitehall meets Nazareth at 8.At Whitehalls Auxiliary Gym, Salisbury plays Lehighton at 6, Lehigh Valley Academy Charter faces Southern Lehigh at 7 and Saucon Valley takes on Brandywine at 8.At St.

John Vianney, located across the street from Allen High School, Executive takes on Notre Dame-Green Pond at 6, Allentown Central Catholic faces Emmaus at 7, and Bangor meets Northampton at 8.St.

John Vianney is being used on opening night because Allentown Central Catholic was unavailable, but games will be held there as well as Whitehalls Middle School gym.Wilson West Lawn is the defending big school champ, and Salisbury won the small school title last summer.Nazareth's Caleb Newsome, seen celebrating during a game last season, had a big night for the East team in the PSFCA East-West all-star game Saturday night.

He was named the East's MVP.

(Jonathan Broady/Special to the Morning Call )Newsome newsThe West beat the East 17-12 Sunday night in the Pennsylvania Scholastic Football Coaches Association at Cumberland Valleys Chapman Field, but Nazareths Caleb Newsome shined for the East.The Lafayette-bound wide receiver caught seven passes for 117 yards and earned the Dan Algeo Memorial Award as the Easts MVP.The East outgained the West 333-144, but had three turnovers, including two that resulted in touchdowns.The West also won the small-school East-West game 14-0.The 68th annual Big 33 Classic is set for 7:30 p.m.

Sunday at Cumberland Valleys Chapman Field.

Pennsylvania takes on Maryland.Marian Catholic tight end Michael Gelatko is the only Morning Call-area player chosen to play on the Pennsylvania team.

Pocono Mountain West coach Jim McCarroll is a member of the Pennsylvania coaching staff.Pennsylvania has won the last five Big 33 games, including 31-7 last year.In this 2001 photo, Andy Donatelli, center, who played baseball for Freedom High School, the University of Delaware, and in the Phillies' farm system, is shown with his twin sons Cole and Lex.

The Donatelli Fund Walk, in honor of Donatelli's late wife, Kim, is on May 31 at Governor Wolf Elementary School.

(Andy Donatelli/contributed photo)Donatelli Fund WalkLongtime area basketball official and former local baseball star Andy Donatelli is again holding the Donatelli Fund Walk on at 10 a.m.

on May 31.

The walk begins and ends at Governor Wolf Elementary School, located at 1920 Butztown Road in Bethlehem.The event is held in honor of Andys late wife, Kim, a beloved elementary school teacher in the Bethlehem Area School District.There is no cost to walk, but donations are welcome, and uniquely designed T-shirts that always feature a Disney theme, will be available to purchase.All proceeds and donations go to the Donatelli Memorial Fund, which presents a scholarship each year to a deserving Freedom student who plans to major in education in college.This years recipient will be multisport Freedom standout Chase Walker.Lehigh Valley Oldtimers eventThe 44th annual Lehigh Valley Old-Time Friends and Athletes Reunion/Picnic is coming up from noon to 5 p.m.

on June 1 at the Agri-Plex at the Allentown Fairgrounds.The organization is a group of former athletes and friends who originally organized a reunion in 1980, and was called the Lehigh Valley Athletes and Friends.

Former athletes, both male and female, coaches, referees, fans, and all who have been connected to or have an interest in local sports are encouraged to attend.The groups goal is to organize an annual reunion/picnic in order to provide old-time athletes and friends an opportunity to socialize and renew past friendships.The hope is to provide annual monetary contributions to local nonprofit organizations.For more info, contact the organizations president, longtime area football coach and teacher Gene Legath at 610-737-7542.Roy White will be selling signed copies of his book at Tuesday nights Lehigh Valley Yankee Fan Club meeting at the Hampton Lanes in Northampton.

There will be a Q-and-A session between 6 and 6:45 p.m.

White played for 15 seasons for the Yankees between 1965-79.

(Contributed photo / Roy White)Roy White NightRoy White had a lot of big hits in his storied career with the New York Yankees from 1965-79.

White was a hit again on May 6 when he appeared at the most recent meeting of the Lehigh Valley Fan Club at the Hampton Lanes in Northampton.In addition to signing autographs and taking photos, White participated in a lengthy Q-and-A with club members as he took fans on a stroll down memory lane through a remarkable career that included a stint in Japan.Roy White, a member of the New York Yankees from 1965-79, smiles during his appearance at the Lehigh Valley Yankee Fan Club meeting on May 6 at the Hampton Lanes in Northampton.

(Keith Groller)There were plenty of great questions for Roy, who took the time to answer all of them, said Yankee Fan Club president Chuck Frantz.

He also told some great stories about his playing days with the Yankees and players who he played with him from Mickey Mantle to Roger Maris to Elston Howard and to the other players who he played with in the late 70s.After the Q&A, White signed copies of his book From Compton to the Bronx and took pictures with all that was there.

After the book signing, a silent auction was held that featured great Yankee-related items.

All of the proceeds went to the Roy White Foundation.The Fan Club presented White and his agent with basket arrangements filled with items from the Lehigh Valley.We had about 150 people there and all that came left the night with a big smile on their face and enjoyed the night, Frantz said.

We hope we can get him back.White, who lives in New Jersey and routinely hosts guests in a suite at Yankee Stadium, enjoyed meeting members of the largest Yankee Fan Club in the country.Its great to see this turnout here of all Yankee fans; its great to see that and great to talk with the people, White said.

I always enjoy mingling with Yankee fans and telling them stories and have them ask me questions about the guys I played with.As for his thoughts on the state of baseball in 2025, he said: Theres no doubt all the guys are all great athletes now.

Its a power game now.

I hit 20 home runs in 1970, and I was like 12th in the American League in home runs.

Last year, 220 guys hit 20 home runs in the major leagues, and you can see where the game is now.

There are too many strikeouts, though.

Id like to see the guys put the ball in play a little more..

This article has been shared from the original article on mcall, here is the link to the original article.