Riley Stewart forging own path

Nobody has scored more points for the Dalhousie University men’s basketball team this season than Riley Stewart. 

But as a freshman, before he led the team in scoring, Stewart averaged the fourth fewest minutes per game — less minutes than his points per game average in 2026. Stewart said his first year was “a huge learning experience.”

“I was able to be around some of the best basketball players in Canada,” Stewart said. “[I] learned from them every day. Different skills, different work ethics, different life lessons. I think that’s also helped me to grow as a basketball player.”

He’s not lying. 

In his first year, Stewart shared the court with an eventual U Sports Final 8 MVP/Defensive Player of the Year and two future NCAA players who dominated at the AUS level.

Family bragging rights

Stewart is one of three brothers to play basketball in the AUS. His older brother, Micah Stewart, plays for Saint Mary’s University and his identical twin, Caleb Stewart, shares the court with him at Dal. But through their university careers, no Stewart has scored the ball the way Riley does.

Riley said he and his twin want the best for each other, so they compete against one another to be better. 

“It’s such a cool experience,” Riley said. “We’re going through the same challenges, but also the same positives. So, we get to just go through life together.”

Caleb said playing with his twin in university is “something special that not a lot of people get to experience.” But the experience is a familiar one, because they’ve been playing together for years.

“Some people always say that just watching us, there’s a connection that you just can’t really have with certain players,” Caleb said. 

The Stewart family grew up five minutes away from where head coach Rick Plato was raised in Stevensville, Ont. Plato recalls seeing the twins play at a tournament in Ontario. He saw the talent Riley possessed even then. 

“They dominated the games that I watched,” Plato said. “There’s a long way to go from high school to third year in university, but his progression has been steady, and what we’re seeing now is what I expected.”

Plato said this is the third pair of identical twins he’s coached — and it brings a challenge. The main difference between the two is that Caleb is left-handed and Riley is right-handed. But unless they’re shooting a ball, you can’t tell the two apart. Plato said that because the twins don’t have different haircuts or distinct scars, he relies on their shoes to tell them apart.

“Now they’ve got so many different pairs of sneakers that it’s tough to follow,” Plato said. “But now I’ve got it down. I know who’s who.”

Summer of improvement

Over his university career, Riley’s scoring numbers have steadily increased, but nothing compares to the scoring increase this year. The six-foot-six kinesiology student is now averaging 13.5 points per game, up nearly eight points from last season.

“I think it just comes from the summer,” Riley said. “It’s the off-season, putting in the work with coaches and using the Dalplex every day.”

Stewart said his off-season consists of team lifts, gym sessions with assistant coach Michael Barrie, and shots with his brother Caleb. Plato said a big reason for Stewart’s improvement is his tenacious work ethic.

“He’s relentless,” Plato said.

In his newfound role as the team’s go-to scorer, Riley has had to balance being a team player with taking the necessary shots. 

“I have to be a threat and look for my shots on the court,” Riley said. “But I also know selfishness can be a big issue on the court and can lead away from team success. I have to make sure that my number one focus is team success … and not for me to get my own.”