Jude Pribish was a drummer in the jazz band in the C-6 School District from sixth grade to his sophomore year at Fox High School.
“I’m pretty good, not an all-star,” said Pribish, who’s halfway through his junior year.
Marching to the beat of his own drum, Pribish had to give up the band to concentrate on athletics. He is an all-star on the basketball court and football field for the Warriors. And in the spring, he’s a member of the golf team.
In Fox’s most recent basketball game, a 72-66 loss in overtime at Waynesville High, Pribish attempted 33 shots from the field, made 15, including three 3-point baskets, and scored a career-high 38 points.
“We had the energy and it was good team chemistry, we had defensive chants and I couldn’t have done it without them,” said Pribish, a physical mismatch for opposing guards at 6-3, 220. “I like to use my size in the paint these days.”
An all-Suburban Conference (second team) selection a year ago, Pribish played every minute of all five quarters against Waynesville.
“He creates a mismatch if somebody wants to put a guard on him,” Fox head coach Chris Miller said. “He was feeling it early with some good outside shooting. He knocked shots down inside and out.”
Since Pribish has been a starter on the gridiron and hardwood for three years each, he’s already reaching school milestones in both sports. Gene Leitz scored 43 points in a game for the Warriors during the 1959-1960 season and still holds the record. Alen Hadzimahovic finished his career from 2006-2009 with a school record 1,255 points. Pribish has scored 775 career points, and the Warriors have at least 14 games remaining this season. Then there’s all of next year. Pribish is averaging 19.7 points per game this season. Even a number close to that average would make Pribish the new all-time scoring leader by 2027.
Pribish was the only returning player on Fox when Miller was hired two years ago. Unfortunately, the Warriors haven’t enjoyed the same team success as Pribish has personally. After going 5-21 in Miller’s first year, they’re off to a 2-10 start.
“I coach my best players harder than other kids and as team captain he has to accept that responsibility. He’s a competitor and doesn’t like to lose. He was upset we lost. He’s committed to helping us get better.”
“We work as a team every day at practice. Coach Miller doesn’t give up on us,” Pribish said.
Fox finished 3-8 during the last football season. In three years, Pribish has rushed for 1,444 yards and scored 10 touchdowns. He won a long-drive competition during golf season by going 305 yards out of the tee box. He said golf season is a respite between the sports where he’s elbowed trying to grab a rebound or gang-tackled running the football.
Miller understands Pribish has options.
“He’s going to receive a lot of attention because of his scoring,” Miller said. “Jude is a good player who is still learning how to be better. He’s trending upward.”
Like their boys counterparts, the Fox girls basketball team is struggling for wins (3-10) despite possessing one of the most talented players in the county and St. Louis area.
Senior point guard Izzy Frissell continued her assault on basketball goals by making five 3-point baskets and scoring 24 points for the Warriors against University City High on Jan. 9, but the Lions somehow still won by 25 points.
With more than 900 points, Frissell is even closer than Pribish to 1,000 and she’s approaching 150 3-point baskets.