Fryz was an all-state guard at Moon High, and his 27 points-per-game average during his senior year made him one of Western Pennsylvania’s most coveted hoop prospects in 1976.
Moon had become somewhat of a feeder school to Pitt with guard Tom Richards once starring for the Panthers, and Pitt coach Tim Grgurich’s had begun pursuing Fryz during Joe's sophomore season in high school, so it was considered a forgone conclusion that’s where he was going to end up.
But Joe liked what he saw at WVU and decided to chart a different course and play for the Mountaineers instead of the hometown Panthers, much to Grgurich’s dismay.