Klatsky, David

David W. Klatsky

As a guard for the University of Pennsylvania, Klatsky was a key member of the Quakers in 2002-03. The defending Ivy League champions, Penn captured its second consecutive conference title with a 69-52 victory over Cornell to clinch a spot in the 2003 NCAA tournament. The Quakers finished the regular season with a perfect 14-0 record in conference play (22-5 overall).

In the NCAA tournament, Penn was the No. 12 seed in the East Region and played Oklahoma State in the first round. The Quakers played well but lost the match, 77-63. Klatsky scored four points and had three assists in the game.

Penn's first player off the bench, Klatsky was a former starter and an important contributor to the Quakers' success. During the 2002-03 season, he averaged 21.7 minutes, 5.8 points (sixth on the team), 2.7 assists (third on the team) and 2.9 rebounds per game (sixth on the team). David is fourth all-time in Penn history in career assists with 381.

Birth and Death Dates:
b. Jan. 23, 1981

Career Highlights:
A terrific high school player in New Jersey, Klatsky joined the University of Pennsylvania basketball team as a freshman in 1999-2000. Early in the season, with a steal and two free throws in the final eight seconds of the game, David helped Penn defeat California, 74-71, in the final of Golden Bear Classic. The Quakers finished the season as Ivy League champions after recording a perfect 14-0 in conference and 21-7 overall. They received an automatic bid to the NCAA tournament and were seeded No. 13 in the East Region. In the first round, Klatsky had two assists, two rebounds, and three steals, but the Quakers fell to No. 4 Illinois by a score of 68-58.

In 2000-01, Klatsky had a good season on and off the court. A starter in all 29 games, he set the school record for assists in a season with 162 and added 42 steals. His 5.5 assists per game average was second in the conference and he was ninth in the conference with 1.5 steals per game. Klatsky was also named Academic All-Ivy League. A a team, however Penn was unable to repeat their previous year's success, and finished the season tied for second place with a 9-5 conference mark (12-17 overall).

As a junior in 2001-02, Klatsky lost his starting spot, but became a valuable player off the bench as Penn's "sixth man." He led the conference in assists-to-turnover ratio for the second consecutive year (95:35) and Penn returned to the top of the conference. They tied with Princeton and Yale for first place, notching a conference record of 11-3, but won the title by defeating Yale in a play-off. The Quakers advanced to the NCAA tournament for the second time in three years as a No. 11 seed, but lost to California in the first round, 82-75.

During the season, Klatsky proved willing and able to give up his starting spot and come off the bench. He said of the move, "After the first couple of games, I realized that when I came into the game I had more energy than everyone else on the floor. I give the team a spark when I come off the bench. I noticed that when I come in we usually go on a run. It's nice. I still get my minutes [21 minutes per game in 2001-02] and the opportunity to contribute, to do my part for the team." Klatsky finished the season with 6.7 points and 3.1 assists per game.

Origin:
Holmdel, New Jersey

Career Dates:
Klatsky played guard at Penn from 1999-2003.

Physical description:
5'11", 175 pounds

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