FARRELL —
Chloé Stewart has been invited to the party. From whom the invitation came, she doesn’t know — perhaps that’ll be revealed in time.
For now, all she knows is she’s invited and she’s RSVP’d.
As you read this, Stewart is in New Hampshire competing at the Coates Sports Professional Women’s Basketball Exposure Combine. Essentially, it’s a tryout camp for professional overseas competition.
“I still don’t know, to this day, how I was found,” admitted Stewart, the former Farrell High standout. “But I’m real excited about it. I’ve probably been dreaming about (professional) basketball all my life.”
In early-May Stewart received her degree in biology from LaRoche College. There, she also concluded a 4-year basketball career for coach Eddie Benton’s Red Hawks.
Upon graduation, Stewart was planning to apply to dental schools, before a letter arrived, inviting her to the 2-day Combine.
“I didn’t expect it to happen because of how small a school I’m coming from,” she admitted. “But the past two years we came together, won two (Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference) championships, so I guess hard work paid off. I’m looking forward to it.”
Stewart, 22, scored more than 1,000 career points for Farrell, helping spark coach Eddie Turosky’s Lady Steelers to a pair of District 10 Class A championships and PIAA playoff berths. She surpassed the 1,000-point plateau at LaRoche, also, becoming only the 4th female to do so, she said.
This past season Stewart, in 28 games, averaged 7.7 points and 2.7 rebounds in 28.3 minutes, adding 76 assists and 72 steals for LaRoche (22-6 overall, 17-1 AMCC), which defeated Medaille (55-49) in the postseason tournament’s title tilt. The Red Hawks bowed to Mount Union (73-63) in the NCAA Division III tourney’s opening round.
Durable despite her diminutive size — 5-foot-3 — Stewart said, “I started almost every, single game from high school through college; I hadn’t missed a game.”
While she served as a point guard for Farrell, she transitioned to the 2-guard slot at Pittsburgh-based LaRoche. Also, by Benton’s beckoning, she evolved “more into a defensive player over the years. And,” she continued in self-assessment, “I can say I’m a leader (serving as a team captain and twice being chosen for a sportsmanship award). I have confidence in myself ... and I bring a lot of energy to the floor.”
Owing to her size, Stewart said she continues to “work on creating more space for myself” to get open looks at the basket, then “taking good shots” when opportunities are presented.
Stewart cited her parents, Janice and Bobby, Turosky and his longtime assistant coach (Stewart’s cousin) Tiffany Holden, and Benton for her development — personally, socially, academically and athletically.
“My mom and dad pushed me every, single day; they encouraged me,” Stewart said.
While she is planning to apply to dental schools, her focus is on the present. As for her zip code for the foreseeable future?
“It doesn’t even matter, as long as I get a contract,” she admitted, emphasizing. “I’ll leave everything in God’s hands.
“I wasn’t expecting anything like this,” she related. “I was going to go back to school until I got this letter. This is another opportunity ... this is the love of my life, so I feel like I might as well take a shot at it.”
Stewart’s father also is a former Farrell cager, who helped stake the Steelers to the 1969 PIAA Class AAAA championship under legendary mentor Eddie McCluskey.
“She has always been a hard worker in every aspect of her life, just like her dad,” Stewart’s mother wrote recently in an e-mail. “ ... Although she was always the littlest player, she played ‘big,’ like her dad.”
Bobby Stewart has the ring, but who’s the better player?
A chuckling Chloé hedged, then grudgingly admitted, “My dad was pretty good, so I have to give him the benefit of the doubt, ’cause he taught me everything ... so I have to give him the edge.”
Now, the Stewart family’s basketball legacy continues through Chloé.
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Chloe Stewart, former Farrell High great, is trying out for a spot in professional girls basketball overseas. Contributed
Stewart eyes pro career
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