Hall of Fame
Michael Stewart went by the moniker of “The Silent Assassin” on the Brooklyn courts growing up, defined by his penchant to quietly terrorize the box score with his strong scoring touch and consistent, methodical play. Lacking the flash or the bravado others sometimes carried, Stewart’s approach was far more subdued and it followed him into the backcourt at the College of Staten Island.
Stewart could not have gotten off to a quieter start, spending his first year as an athletic redshirt, taking in the game from the sidelines in street clothes. When it came time to exercise his expertise on the court in 2001-02, he proved the wiser, starting 28 games his freshman year, averaging an even 10 points per game with 70 assists and a 40% shooter’s touch from beyond the arc. On a senior-laden team he rounded out the lineup and helped lead the squad to a CUNYAC Championship that same year.
In 2002-03, Stewart then became a more central focus of the team. His numbers blossomed as a result. He shot a crisp 44% from the field and 43% from the arc in 159 attempts. He was easily CSI’s best free-throw shooter, connecting on 88 of 106 attempts (83%). Averaging 19.3 points per game, Stewart found a way to be CSI’s primary ball distributor, totaling 89 assists, and accounted for 30 thefts and a 4.6 rebounds per game average. The CUNYAC took notice, and named him the conference’s Player of the Year.
The Dolphins would go on to win another 35 games over the course of Stewart’s junior and senior seasons, and the silent killer was continuing his ways of developing on the floor as a complete two-way player. The ever-consistent focal point scored the first of two 500+ point seasons in 2003-04, posting 17.9 per game while connecting on 69 three-pointers and 102 assists.
Understanding the magnitude of his role, Stewart finished with arguably his finest season as a senior in 2004-05. Averaging 18.3 points per game, he set a career-highs with 176 field goals, a whopping 530 points, a conference high 143 assists, and 132 rebounds. By midseason, he had broken the CSI career point-scoring record and finished with 1,819 career points, currently second all-time.
A three-time CUNYAC All-Star, Stewart would also finish his career with 238 career three-pointers, currently third all-time and is 7th all-time in career assists with 446. His 73% shooting at the free-throw continue to stand 8th all-time. He also added 433 career rebounds and 112 career steals.
