May tipoff confirmed for Roundball Classic all-star games

By: Bill Beckner Jr.
Thursday, February 25, 2021 | 4:01 PM

The Roundball Classic was canceled last spring due to the onset of the coronavirus outbreak. But the high school basketball all-star event is returning — and in full force.

Organizer Allen Deep green-lighted the 2021 Roundball, which will be played May 13, 14 and 15 at Geneva College.

“We couldn’t shelve it this year,” Deep said. “We were going to find a way to get it done all along. Once the WPIAL decided to play and finish the season, and go on with playoffs, that decided it for us.”

A seven-game schedule, featuring more than 200 players, was wiped out last April.

Multiple games will now be played over three days instead of two and more matchups could be added, Deep said, as details are ironed out.

Teams will practice over two days, with staggered times.

There will not be a banquet this year.

“Some kids might play two games. We’ll see,” Deep said. “We’re going to get them some great gear and make it a fun event as always.”

Seniors from five districts will be selected: the WPIAL, City League and districts 6, 9 and 10.

As far as attendance goes, Deep said the state’s 10% capacity limitation will be in effect, unless something changes with increased vaccinations and lower case numbers in the coming months.

“(The event) was going to happen whether we had a crowd or not,” Deep said. “The majority of our crowds are family and friends as it is, so that will be mostly the same. Geneva holds 3,000, so we’re looking at 300 people.”

Deep hopes to get invitations to players by the middle of April.

He said Norwin’s Ty Bilinsky will be selected, even though the senior guard missed most of this season after having a stroke and being diagnosed with a blood disorder.

“He deserves to be there,” Deep said. “I have already reached out to (Norwin coach) Buddy (Valinsky) about it. We’d love to have Ty. In the past, we have had kids with injuries or whatever make the roster. We let them be a part of the games in some way.”

The Roundball Classic started in 2005.

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