Paul Stewart (basketball)

Paul Stewart (born 28 October 1956) is a Scottish-American former professional basketball player and a former member of the Scottish national basketball team.

Paul Stewart
Personal information
Born (1956-10-28) 28 October 1956
Glasgow, Scotland
NationalityScottish / American
Listed height6 ft 6 in (1.98 m)
Career information
High schoolSan Diego
(San Diego, California)
College
NBA draft1977 / Undrafted
PositionForward / Center
Number15
Career history
As player:
1977–1978USC Freiburg
1978–1979ÍR
1979–1980Team Fiat
1981–1982Ovaltine
As coach:
1978–1979ÍR

Early life

Stewart was born in Glasgow to Scottish parents[1] but moved to Canada shortly later. When he was 7 years old, his family moved again, this time to San Diego in California.[2] He played college basketball for Santa Ana College[3] and Cal State LA.[4]

Playing career

Professional career

After graduating, Stewart had a tryout with the Portland Trail Blazers. After failing to get a contract with the Blazers, he signed with USC Freiburg in West Germany.[2]

In August 1978, he signed with ÍR of the Icelandic Úrvalsdeild karla as a player-coach.[5] In his first game for ÍR, Stewart scored 46 points in a 100-88 victory against ÍS in the pre-season Reykjavík Basketball Tournament.[6] He finished as the third highest scorer in the tournament with 166 points in 5 games.[7] On 13 October, Stewart got into an altercation with Njarðvík's Stefán Bjarkason in a game played at the Naval Air Station Keflavik which ended with both Military Police and Icelandic Police being called to the scene. After the fight, Stefán was transported to the base hospital where he received 6 stitches to his face.[8][9] Although the game was part of an unofficial tournament, the Icelandic Basketball Federation disciplinary court suspended Stewart for three weeks[10][11] which meant that he would miss two games in the Úrvalsdeild, including a game against Njarðvík. The verdict was highly controversial as it was only based on police statements from Stefán and Narðvík's assistant coach, Ingi Gunnarsson.[12][13] Without Stewart, ÍR defeated Njarðvík, 95-89, with Stefán being booed loudly by the ÍR fans whenever he touched the ball.[14][15] As ÍR's game against KR was postponed until December, allowing Stewart to play in it as his suspension was up.[16]

Although he was hampered by a knee injury for much of the season,[17] Stewart averaged 26.8 points per game, good for fourth best in the league.[18] In the Icelandic Cup, ÍR advanced to the finals after beating Njarðvík, 96-95, in the semi finals behind Stewart's and Jón Jörundsson's play.[19] In the finals, ÍR met KR in the Laugardalshöll. The game, which had heavy police presence due to violence by supporters in the stands at recent games,[20] ended with a convincing 87-72 KR victory despite Stewart's 26 points.[21]

The following seasons he played for Team Fiat[22] and Ovaltine in England.[23]

National team career

In 1979, Stewart was selected to the Scottish national basketball team.[1][24] On 30 April 1982, Stewart had 26 points and 18 rebounds in a 77-64 victory against Iceland in the EuroBasket 1983 qualification.[25]

Coaching career

Stewart served as a player-coach for ÍR during the 1978-1979 season. He was a candidate for the head coach position of the Icelandic men's national team for its 1979 games but the job ultimately went to Tim Dwyer.[17]

gollark: For reasons.
gollark: Merely FAKE niceness.
gollark: Mathematically proven impossible.
gollark: Apparently, it's about twice as fast.
gollark: Nope, A72 now.

References
  1. "Stewart leikur með Skotunum". Vísir (in Icelandic). 21 February 1979. Retrieved 19 January 2019.
  2. "Mála reiðinnar ósköp í frístundum". Tíminn (in Icelandic). 12 November 1978. pp. 38–39. Retrieved 19 January 2019.
  3. Al Carr (16 January 1975). "Santa Ana downs Fullerton". The Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 4 June 2020.
  4. "USF rolls to 11th victory". The Californian. 22 December 1976. p. 25. Retrieved 4 June 2020.
  5. "Paul Stewart til ÍR-inga". Þjóðviljinn (in Icelandic). 30 August 1978. Retrieved 19 January 2019.
  6. "Þeir bandarísku í aðalhlutverkum". Vísir (in Icelandic). 25 September 1978. Retrieved 19 January 2019.
  7. "Staðan og stigahæstu". Morgunblaðið (in Icelandic). 10 October 1978. Retrieved 19 January 2019.
  8. Gylfi Kristjánsson (1 November 1978). "Herlögreglan kölluð á körfuboltaleik". Vísir (in Icelandic). Retrieved 19 January 2019.
  9. Gylfi Kristjánsson (2 November 1978). "Stewart byrjaði ekki". Vísir (in Icelandic). Retrieved 19 January 2019.
  10. "Stewart fékk leikbann". Vísir (in Icelandic). 14 November 1978. Retrieved 19 January 2019.
  11. "Stewart fékk þriggja vikna leikbann". Morgunblaðið (in Icelandic). 14 November 1978. Retrieved 19 January 2019.
  12. "ÍR, án Stewarts, mætir Njarðvík!". Morgunblaðið (in Icelandic). 18 November 1978. Retrieved 19 January 2019.
  13. "Erlendum leikmönnum stillt upp við vegg". Tíminn (in Icelandic). 8 November 1978. Retrieved 19 January 2019.
  14. "Stewartlausir ÍR-ingar sigruðu UMFN". Morgunblaðið (in Icelandic). 21 November 1978. Retrieved 19 January 2019.
  15. "Stewartlausir unnu þeir UMFN!". Vísir (in Icelandic). 20 November 1978. Retrieved 19 January 2019.
  16. "Paul Stewart getur því leikið gegn KR!". Vísir (in Icelandic). 24 November 1978. pp. 16–17. Retrieved 19 January 2019.
  17. "Landsliðsþjálfarastarfið ekki til Paul Stewart vegna UMFN". Tíminn (in Icelandic). 21 February 1979. Retrieved 19 January 2019.
  18. "Heildartölfræði einstaklinga á einu tímabili - Meðaltöl 1978-1979". kki.is (in Icelandic). Icelandic Basketball Federation. Retrieved 19 January 2019.
  19. "ÍR í úrslit". Morgunblaðið (in Icelandic). 14 March 1979. Retrieved 20 January 2019.
  20. "Liðin leika undir lögregluvernd". Vísir (in Icelandic). 23 March 1979. Retrieved 20 January 2019.
  21. "Máttlausir ÍR-ingar auðveld bráð fyrir KR-inga". Tíminn (in Icelandic). 27 March 1979. Retrieved 20 January 2019.
  22. "Stewart til Team Fiat". Morgunblaðið (in Icelandic). 29 May 1979. Retrieved 19 January 2019.
  23. "Stewart vill koma aftur". Dagblaðið Vísir (in Icelandic). 3 May 1982. Retrieved 19 January 2019.
  24. "Paul Stewart í landsliði Skota". Dagblaðið Vísir (in Icelandic). 27 January 1982. Retrieved 19 January 2019.
  25. Kjartan L. Pálsson (3 May 1982). "Ekki á hverjum degi sem ég hirði 18 fráköst". Dagblaðið Vísir (in Icelandic). Retrieved 19 January 2019.
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