Dave Przybylo
Upstate NY Basketball Hall of Fame
Linton ’75, Witcha State/U Albany ’80
1,306 career points at Linton; helped Wichita State to Missouri Valley Conference title as freshman
Dave Przybylo became one of the most potent scorers in the star-studded Linton High basketball history despite some trying circumstance. He started practice sessions for the 1972-73 season playing for the late great Walter Przybylo, then Linton coach and his father. But just before the season began, his dad had a debilitating heart attack. Dave and his young teammates regrouped. Linton JV coach Bill Rapavy took command. Dave, just a sophomore, wound up the leading scorer on a team that produced a rousing 19-3 record.
That mark was among the best ever at the school, which later joined with old Mont Pleasant High to form current Schenectady High. Besides Przybylo, the other talented Linton starters were Peter Meola, Mark Vitallo, Jim Duell and Mike Suprunowicz.
A Sid Edwards-powered 22-0 team in 1970 and a Barry Kramer-led 16-0 club in 1960 were the best-ever records at Linton. Przybylo trailed only Edwards and Dave Modest as the school’s all-time scoring leaders.
Przybylo was scholarshipped by Wichita State. After two seasons, he was squeezed out of the starting lineup by new home-grown Wichita recruits. He bailed out in favor of playing his junior and senior years at the University at Albany
He remained on the Albany campus as an assistant to legendary coach Doc Sauers. Later, he coached varsity basketball at Amsterdam and Bishop Gibbons high schools. Pat Riley, another fabled Linton alum, hired Przybylo as a Miami Heat scout. After five years, he gave that up because too much travel was involved.
He left the coaching field to form his own business — Technical Resource Solutions — recruiting high tech computer help for various firms.
He didn’t drift completely away from basketball. He plays in adult leagues at least five nights and some mornings each and every week. “Hey, it’s a great way to stay in shape,” he said.