The number does not matter to Breanna Stewart, a 6-foot-3 post player from North Syracuse, N.Y. For not that matter, it does not carry much weight with her father, Brian, either. That’s all it is at this point, really, is just a number.
Stewart has been ranked No. 1 in the Class of 2012 by both ESPN HoopGurlz and Peach State Hoops. A recruiting source said that she is every bit as talented as the ranking indicates, and UConn coach Geno Auriemma will be one of what will likely be many college coaches in Washington. D.C. over the next couple of days to take a look at Stewart as she takes part in training camp with the U.S. U-17 team.
“I really wasn’t sure where I was going to be ranked,’’ Breanna Stewart said. “I think it’s a great honor, but I know that now I have a bigger target on my back. So I need to just keep working hard to keep it.’’
Training camp opens tonight at The Flint Hill School at 6 p.m. It continues with a double-session Tuesday at The Flint Hill School at 9 a.m. and at the Georgetown Visitation High School at 5 p.m. before concluding with one practice session Wednesday at The Flint Hill School at 9 a.m.
College coaches may attend Tuesday’s second practice and Wednesday’s practice after 10:30 a.m.
Stewart averaged 21.1 points, 13 rebounds and six blocks last season in leading Cicero-North High School to its second straight Section III Class AA championship. She averaged 17.0 points, 9.3 rebounds and 7.0 blocks as a freshman.
“I think my defense is good,’’ Breanna Stewart. “I’m a good defender and on offense I’m good at running the floor in transition. I’m happy with (my game), but I want it to keep progressing.
“I’d like to become more offensive-minded. I have become over the past year, but I just need to keep becoming an offensive threat too. Like my post moves, they’re alright but they could get better. And I need to be more assertive on my outside shot. I can shoot 3s. I will shoot 3s. Sometimes I just will pass them up when I really shouldn’t. I should just shoot them because I can make them.’’
At this point the recruiting process is wide-open. Brian Stewart said they have talked with Boston College. Louisville is interested. So is Illinois. And the plan right now is to visit Virginia and Duke when the family takes a vacation in that direction in October.
“Right now I’m pretty much like open to everything,’’ Breanna Stewart. “Somehow I’ve got to figure out what I want out of a school. If coaches want go talk to me I’ll talk to them. But I’m really not sure where I want to go. I don’t think I want to go to a school where they’re just going to be like, `Oh, you’re good. Just keep doing what you’re doing.’ I want to get pushed so I become better.’’
Said Brian Stewart: “It’s completely wide-open. I have my own ideas, but that would be totally just my opinion. I’m guessing Bre’s going to want to stay somewhere in the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic. I don’t think she wants to go to the West Coast or anything like that. Obviously, we went to an unofficial visit at Connecticut. I know she can see herself playing there.
“I told her I’d take her anywhere she wanted to visit. And I know she wants to visit Duke and Virginia. And I know she wants to go back to UConn. We talked about maybe going to Boston College. Not a lot of schools, but a handful. I know Louisville’s really high on her. Illinois. But it’s going to come to a point where it’s like, `Bre, you’ve got to let some of these schools know if they really have a shot or not.’ She’s got to make a decision on who she really wants to consider. It sounds so weird saying that. Most kids are hoping for any school to be interested in them. We’re just kind of blown away by the whole thing.’’
Stewart attended the UConn/Notre Dame game at Gampel Pavilion that appeared on ESPN College GameDay Jan. 16. That was her first trip to the UConn campus.
“It was kind of tough not to be impressed then,’’ Brian Stewart said. “They were phenomenal. Coach (Chris) Dailey and Shea (Ralph) and (Marisa Moseley). Coach Geno. They’re excellent at what they do. They fussed over us. On a busy weekend, I was very impressed. It’s tough for me as a dad to think, `Wow, Breanna’s capable of playing at UConn? Geez.’’’
Here is what Breanna thought after seeing the Huskies: “I’m impressed with how they all play as a team and their coaching staff is just coaching them to get better,’’ she said. “They just keep pushing them and never say, `This is good enough.’’’
Stewart has not yet been affected by the stress that so often comes with the recruiting process, especially for those players who are ranked in the upper echelon of their class. She knows that eventually it will become stressful. And right now she can envision herself playing at an upper Division I program.
“I can definitely see that,’’ Breanna Stewart said. “I’ve just got to keep working harder so that I could be able to go there and be like the other good players that are there.’’
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