CLEVELAND -- Paul Stewart, a 19-year-old reserve forward who helped Cleveland State achieve its first NCAA basketball tournament invitation, died Wednesday of a massive heart attack following a pickup game.
Stewart, a 6-foot-6, 215-pound sophomore from Boston who averaged 4.7 points and 3.5 rebounds in 24 games last year, was playing in the school's Woodling Gym when he collapsed about 4:15 p.m., said Merle Levin, the Vikings' sports information director.
'A nurse happened to be on the scene, and she initiated basic life support procedures,' said Levin. 'But when the paramedics arrived, he had no pulse and was not breathing.'
Stewart, accompanied by distraught teammates Clinton Smith, Clinton Ransey and Shawn Hood, was rushed to St. Vincent's Charity Hospital with what a hospital spokesman described as a 'full cardiac arrest.'
Efforts to revive Stewart were unsuccessful, and he was pronounced dead at 5:20 p.m.
Team physician Dr. John Lombardo said Stewart was in good health and had no history of heart trouble.
'Dr. Lombardo told me there was absolutely no warning of this,' said Levin. 'Right now, Paul suffered cardiac arrest from unknown causes, and it's believed the autopsy may give us the reason.'
Cleveland State head coach Kevin Mackey was in Boston to speak at the commencement exercises of Massachusetts Bay Community College.
Levin said Mackey planned to go to the home of Stewart's mother, Mary Stewart.
'I'm stunned,' said Mackey. 'This is an incredible shock to me. Paul was a splendid young man -- he was going to be 20 next month (on May 30) and he was a fine student.
'He also had wonderful talent with such potential as a player and as a man. This is a tragedy.'
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CSU President Walter B. Waetjen issued a statement.
'There is no way that I can adequately convey just how stunned and saddened all of us at Cleveland State University are, learning of his tragic death,' said Waetjen. 'Many people knew of Paul from his exploits on the basketball court.
'But those closer to him knew him as an excellent student with a fine singing voice and a taste for poetry. We can only mourn his loss.'
pickup12thgraf: Stewart'
Stewart's teammates, congregating at the hospital, declined to comment on their teammate's death.
Stewart transferred to Cleveland State from Alabama early in 1985, and was redshirted until Dec. 23.
He then was a key bench player as Cleveland State finished the season at 29-4, the best record in the school's history.
The Vikings upset Indiana and St. Joseph's in the NCAA tournament before being edged 71-70 by Navy in an NCAA Eastern Regional semifinal game.
Stewart was a Massachusetts first team all-state player, leading West Roxbury High School to a Division II state title in 1983-84 and averaging 24.6 points and 10.4 rebounds.
After enrolling at Alabama, he became disenchanted with the Crimson Tide's program and was wooed to Cleveland State by Mackey.
