Playing fast helps Norwin boys basketball get off to best start in 4 seasons

By: HSSN Staff
Friday, January 4, 2019 | 7:06 PM

The Norwin basketball team is off to its best start in four years.

The Knights have stormed out to a 6-2 record. That is their best start since they went 7-1 in 2014-15. An increase in scoring has added to the win column. The Knights are averaging 65.1 points per game. The team averaged 51.8 points last season and 53.4 points in 2015-16.

“Our offense has been helped by our ability to get the ball up and down the floor,” Norwin coach Lynn Washowich said. “That starts with passing the ball. The kids have done a good job of getting the ball down the floor quickly to take advantage of easy layups or wide open looks.”

The team’s motion offense has allowed the Knights to take advantage of their opponents. The focus of the offense is to attack the open court. Some games, the Knights will rely on the deep shot — they made 13 3-pointers in an 80-77 win over Plum. Other games, Norwin attacks the basket.

“It really is predicated on what the defense is giving us,” Washowich said. “If the other team is taking away the paint, we will shoot 3s.”

The Knights have relied on the play of the what Washowich called their “big three” — senior Gianni Rizzo and sophomores Tyler Bilinsky and Jayden Walker.

Rizzo has been the team’s most versatile weapon on offense. He has been able to score in a variety of ways — in the paint, inside the key and from beyond the arc.

“He made a game-tying 3-pointer with no time left against Plum,” Washowich said. “He is only (6-foot-2) but he can play in the post against defenders and get rebounds. He also has a mid-range game.”

The duo of Bilinsky and Walker have been leading the team in scoring. The sophomores were major contributors last year and are combining to score more than 30 points per game.

“Sometimes it is tough because I don’t view them as sophomores,” Washowich said. “If they don’t play well, we’re not going to do well. Along with Nick Fleming, we have three sophomores who play the majority, if not the whole game. They combined for 55 points against Monessen.”

The staff is looking to Logan Liebdzinski to be a bigger part of the offense. The senior has had several strong games this season — he scored a season-high of 14 points against Plum. But Washowich wants to see him become more consistent.

“He has some big games, but he needs to take more shots,” Washowich said. “We keep telling him he cannot keep passing open shots. He is starting to shoot really well.”

The Knights will look to keep the offense rolling as it enters Section 3-6A play. The team is focused on snapping a two-year playoff drought.

“I have been a coach here 17 years, and we have never missed the playoffs in back-to-back seasons until last year,” Washowich said. “We talk a lot about playoff basketball because we want to press upon them that our level of play needs to go up.”

Nathan Smith is a freelance writer.

Tags: Norwin