Medically cleared to return to court, Norwin’s Ty Bilinsky headed to UPJ

By: Bill Beckner Jr.
Saturday, June 12, 2021 | 11:01 AM

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Ty Bilinsky went from thinking it might be time to throw his basketball shoes over the telephone wires to merging back into the fast lane to a possible college career.

The Norwin senior, who encountered several health issues over the winter and missed most of his final high school season, has accepted a walk-on opportunity at Pitt-Johnstown.

“My thought process flipped,” Bilinsky said. “I thought I may never play again, and now I get the opportunity to play in college. I couldn’t be happier.”

Bilinsky had a stroke and later was diagnosed with a blood disorder and an enlarged spleen.

Doctors initially leaned toward Bilinsky giving up the game due to potential contact and the effects that it could have on his body.

But medication, treatment and patience has kept the door open for him to continue his career.

“I love to see how (UPJ) is taking a chance on him and I feel bad for the teams that didn’t,” said Adam Bilinsky, a Norwin junior-to-be who got to play WPIAL basketball with his brother. “It takes a lot for Ty to get stressed out. He is very laid back even when it comes to his own health.”

A 5-foot-10 point guard, Ty Bilinsky averaged 16 points as a junior.

“It was always my dream to play in college,” Bilinsky said. “It’s even better that the opportunity is (Division II).”

He was medically cleared to return early in the spring and began working out and playing again. He played in the Roundball Classic all-star game and scored 11 points for the Class 6A team.

“I am so impressed and so happy for him,” Norwin coach Buddy Valinsky said. “If he played this year, we would have been 14-7 instead of 7-14. Watching him play in the Roundball was great.”

Bill Beckner Jr. is a TribLive reporter covering local sports in Westmoreland County. He can be reached at bbeckner@triblive.com.

Tags: Norwin