CJ Bruton
February 2, 2021
Ryan Stolberg
- Nationality: AUS
- Date of Birth: 16/01/75
- Place of Birth: Kurrajong (NSW)
- Position: G/F
- Height (CM): 201
- Weight (KG): 105
- Junior Assoc: QLD - Ipswich
- College: None
- NBL DEBUT: 4/05/96
- AGE AT DEBUT: 21
- LAST NBL GAME: 14/06/98
- AGE AT LAST GAME: 23
- NBL History: Brisbane 1996, 1998
- Championships: 0
- None
BIO: Ryan Stolberg was born in Kurrajong (NSW) and began playing basketball as a junior with the Ipswich basketball program.
NBL EXPERIENCE
Ryan Stolberg made his NBL debut with the Brisbane Bullets at 21 years of age. He went scoreless in his first NBL game.
1998
Brisbane entered 1998 needing to break a run of four consecutive first-round playoff exits after finishing fifth at 15-15 and losing its 1997 elimination-final series to Perth. David Ingham was released as head coach and two-time championship coach Brian Kerle returned, while Mike McKay (to Canberra), Dwayne McClain, Mark Dalton (to Wollongong), Robert Sibley and Leonard White departed. Captain Leroy Loggins, Steve Woodberry, Rodger Smith, John Szigeti, Aaron Honeyman and Ben Thompson returned, with Kerle adding import Chuck Kornegay, Mark Nash, CJ Bruton (via Indian Hills CC), Ben Castle and Ryan Stolberg, who returned to Brisbane’s NBL roster after not appearing in the league during 1997.
Brisbane also moved from the Brisbane Entertainment Centre to the smaller 4,000-seat Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre, with the high cost of its former home and falling attendances contributing to the change.
Stolberg (3 points across 16 games) filled a reserve role during his return to the Bullets, appearing in 15 regular-season games and one playoff game.
His best and highest-scoring game came against North Melbourne at the Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre on March 6, where Stolberg (10 points, 4 rebounds, and 1 steal) played 16:51. Woodberry (22 points, 11 rebounds, 4 assists, and 3 steals) and Loggins (19 points, 4 rebounds, 4 assists, 3 steals, and 2 blocks) led Brisbane, while Andrew Goodwin (20 points, 11 rebounds, and 3 assists) was North Melbourne’s best as the Bullets won 115-90.
Woodberry (26.4 points, 7.7 rebounds, 4.3 assists, and 1.4 steals across 34 games) led Brisbane in scoring, topped the NBL in free-throw percentage at 92.2 percent and earned All-NBL First Team selection. Loggins (17.8 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 1.5 steals across 26 games), Bruton (15.4 points, 4 assists, and 1.8 steals across 34 games), Kornegay (16.7 points, 11.7 rebounds, and 1.8 blocks across 32 games) and Nash (9.8 points and 8.2 rebounds across 34 games) formed the remainder of Brisbane’s main rotation.
Stolberg (0 points, 1 rebound, and 1 steal) played 4:20 in Brisbane’s final regular-season game against Adelaide on June 7. Woodberry (24 points, 13 rebounds, 10 assists, and 1 block) recorded a triple-double and Bruton (15 points, 3 rebounds, 5 assists, and 3 steals) provided further support, while John Rillie (19 points, 17 rebounds, 3 assists, and 1 steal) led Adelaide as the Bullets won 101-89 to finish fourth with a 16-14 record and claim home-court advantage over Melbourne through the head-to-head tie-breaker.
Stolberg did not play as Brisbane opened the elimination finals at the Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre with a 93-80 victory over defending champion Melbourne. Woodberry (24 points, 10 rebounds, 1 assist, and 1 block) and Nash (20 points, 7 rebounds, 1 assist, and 1 block) led Brisbane, while Andrew Gaze (34 points, 6 rebounds, 5 assists, and 1 steal) was Melbourne’s best.
Game two moved to Melbourne Park, where Stolberg (0 points and 1 rebound) played 3:03 as Loggins (27 points, 5 rebounds, 6 assists, 2 steals, and 1 block) and Woodberry (21 points, 6 rebounds, 6 assists, and 2 steals) led Brisbane to a 114-81 victory. Lanard Copeland (22 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal, and 1 block) was Melbourne’s leading scorer as the Bullets completed the sweep and advanced beyond the opening round for the first time since 1993. The appearance proved to be Stolberg’s final NBL game.
Stolberg did not play in the opening semifinal against South East Melbourne, where Woodberry (46 points, 12 rebounds, and 4 assists) and Kornegay (19 points, 14 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal, and 3 blocks) led Brisbane, but Ronaldson (26 points, 4 rebounds, and 4 assists) and Kelly (25 points, 4 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal, and 2 blocks) carried the Magic to a 106-98 victory at the Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre.
Stolberg again did not play in game two at Melbourne Park, where Woodberry (28 points, 8 rebounds, 2 assists, and 2 steals) and Bruton (15 points and 5 assists) led Brisbane, while Mackinnon (30 points, 10 rebounds, 3 assists, 3 steals, and 1 block) and Ronaldson (19 points, 5 rebounds, and 6 assists) led South East Melbourne to a 90-84 victory, completing the semifinal sweep and ending Brisbane’s season one round short of the Grand Final.
Ryan Stolberg played two seasons with the Brisbane Bullets. He averaged 2.5 points, 1.5 rebounds, and 0.4 assists in 20 NBL games.
NBL TOTAL STATISTICS
| SEASON | AGE | TEAM | TEAM RECORD | GP | MINS | PTS | REB | AST | OR | DR | STL | BLK | TO | PF | FGM | FGA | FG% | 3PM | 3PA | 3P% | FTM | FTA | FT% | TS% | EFG% | HS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1998 | 23 | Brisbane | 16-14 (4) | 16 | 114 | 48 | 30 | 8 | 10 | 20 | 4 | 0 | 9 | 13 | 17 | 42 | 40% | 0 | 2 | 0% | 14 | 19 | 74% | 47% | 40% | 10 |
| 1996 | 21 | Brisbane | 14-12 (8) | 4 | 8 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0% | 0 | 0 | 0% | 2 | 2 | 100% | 51% | 0% | 2 | Totals | 20 | 122 | 50 | 30 | 8 | 10 | 20 | 4 | 0 | 9 | 14 | 17 | 43 | 39.5% | 0 | 2 | 0.0% | 16 | 21 | 76.2% | 48% | 40% | 10 |
NBL PER GAME STATISTICS
| SEASON | AGE | TEAM | TEAM RECORD | GP | MINS | PTS | REB | AST | OR | DR | STL | BLK | TO | PF | FGM | FGA | FG% | 3PM | 3PA | 3P% | FTM | FTA | FT% | TS% | EFG% | HS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1998 | 23 | Brisbane | 16-14 (4) | 16 | 7.1 | 3.0 | 1.9 | 0.5 | 0.6 | 1.3 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 0.6 | 0.8 | 1.1 | 2.6 | 40% | 0.0 | 0.1 | 0% | 0.9 | 1.2 | 74% | 47% | 40% | 10 |
| 1996 | 21 | Brisbane | 14-12 (8) | 4 | 2.0 | 0.5 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 0.3 | 0% | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0% | 0.5 | 0.5 | 100% | 51% | 0% | 2 | Total | 20 | 6.1 | 2.5 | 1.5 | 0.4 | 0.5 | 1.0 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 0.5 | 0.7 | 0.9 | 2.2 | 39.5% | 0.0 | 0.0% | 0.1 | 76.2% | 48% | 40% | 10 |
CAREER HIGHS
| POINTS | REBOUNDS | ASSISTS | STEALS | BLOCKS | TURNOVERS | TRIPLE DOUBLES | 10 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
|---|
STATE LEAGUE EXPERIENCE
- Ipswich (1995–1996, 2007–2012), Suncoast (1997), Brisbane (1998, 2017), Albury Wodonga (1999)
Stolberg joined Ipswich for the 1995 CBA season and returned in 1996, beginning a four-season run in which he established himself as a consistent double-double performer and earned Queensland and Australian CBA All-Star Five recognition.
Stolberg joined Suncoast for the 1997 CBA season and won the Queensland MVP award while averaging close to 27 points and 15 rebounds per game. The Clippers finished second in their conference before beating Mount Gambier away, defeating North-East Melbourne in overtime and advancing to the ABA National Championship final in Geelong. Suncoast defeated Cairns 80–78 in the championship game, with Billy Ross scoring 44 points and making the winning play at the buzzer.
He joined Brisbane for the 1998 CBA season and was selected to the Australian CBA All-Star Five. Stolberg scored 30 points in both games as Brisbane swept Townsville 2–0 in the North Conference semi-finals, winning 105–103 and 107–101. He added 20 points in the second game of the North Conference grand final as Cairns completed a 2–0 series victory, then scored 13 points when Brisbanes season ended with a 110–74 national quarter-final loss to Frankston.
Stolberg played for Albury Wodonga during the 1999 CBA season before stepping away from the competition for several years.
He returned to his hometown Ipswich Force in 2007 and remained with the club through the 2012 QBL season. Stolberg continued producing double-doubles during the six-season stint and was named QBL Player of the Week for Round 9 in 2011, when Ipswich finished the regular season 9–9. He retired after the 2012 season at the age of 37.
Stolberg returned to Brisbane for the 2017 QBL season, five years after completing his second Ipswich stint.
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