Success Stories

Slingerlands resident competes against best
By Linda Bakst, of the Bethlehem Spotlight, 7/31/96

Basketball tournaments conjure up images of young, tall, gifted athletes doing battle.

Just a few weeks ago, a different sort of basketball tournament took place in Worcester, Mass., and a Delmar resident played a major part.

It was the Bob Cousy International Basketball Tournament for players 6 feet 2 inches and under. Seventeen countries sent teams to compete, and David Giwerc of Slingerlands played for one of two United States teams in the Masters division (40 and over).

Forty is often a time when athletes give up dreams of playing competitively, especially in demanding team sports like basketball. But with tournaments like the Bob Cousy that may start to change. Giwerc certainly hopes so.

Giwerc, 40, who plays in two basketball leagues at Albany's Jewish Community Center and serves on its board of directors, isn't willing to concede anything to age. "I want to play till I drop," he said with a laugh. "I just love it. "

On the heels of this success and his experience at the Cousy Tournament, Giwerc is thinking of petitioning the Empire State Games to include a masters division in basketball. Two months ago, Giwerc- who stands 5 feet, 9 inches-was reading the sports pages of a local paper when he spotted a blurb about an international basketball tournament. Figuring he had nothing to lose, he called the phone number listed and spoke to Kevin McCarthy, whose brother Joe (McCarthy) coaches one of the United States Masters teams.

Giwerc was offered an opportunity to go to the State University of New York at Cobleskill to try out. Impressed with his quickness and ballhandling, McCarthy offered Giwerc one of the 12 slots on the team.
A lean but muscular 165 pounds, Giwerc has stayed in shape, hoping for just this kind of opportunity. Just over 20 years ago, after a standout career at the former Milne High School in Albany, Giwerc tried out for the Syracuse University team as a walk-on. He made that team, too.

To those who have known him over the years, Giwerc's success is not a surprise. "I've known David for over 20 years. When other kids were shooting around, just having fun, he was working on his ball-handling. They called him 'Dribbles'," says Jay Baron, executive director of the Albany JCC, and a former basketball player, coach and referee. "He is one of the best, if not the best ball handler I have ever seen, and I've been around basketball for a long time."

As a point guard on one of the two United States teams in the Masters Division, Giwerc's job was to penetrate and hand off the ball to his teammates. Randy Smith an ex-NBA star, was one of the recipients of those passes. Other tournament participants included Tim Welchons, a former Siena player; and Dave Pryzblyo, also a native of this area who played college ball at Wichita State. Nate Archibald, another ex-NBA great was scheduled to play in the tournament until an injury forced him out.

Giwerc's team went 2-1 in the tournament, beating Israel and Azerbajian, but losing to Lithuania.

"The highlight for me was the game against Israel," Giwerc said. "It was a close, hard-fought game decided in the final minutes. Giwerc hit two free throws and made a key steal at the end of the game to seal the victory.

"The only letdown was when it was all over," he said. "It's really something to be able to represent your country. It's the closet thing to the Olympic experience I'll ever know."

Tournament organizers are planning to hold the event every three years. Proceeds are earmarked for charity.