NICKNAME/S: Scuba

BIO: Stephen Holt was born in Portland, Oregon (USA) and attended Jesuit High School in Beaverton, Oregon, where he was a two-time Oregon Division 6A State Player of the Year. As a junior in 2008/09, he averaged 8.1 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 2.8 assists per game, while helping his team post a 25–3 overall record and a Oregon 6A State championship. He was subsequently named first-team All-State and first-team All-Metro League.

As a senior in 2009/10, Holt averaged 12.7 points, six rebounds, and six assists per game to lead Jesuit to its second straight Oregon Division 6A state title after guiding his team to a 25–2 overall record during the season.attended Jesuit High School in Beaverton, Oregon, where he was a two-time Oregon Division 6A State Player of the Year.

As a junior in 2008/09, he averaged 8.1 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 2.8 assists per game, while helping his team post a 25–3 overall record and a Oregon 6A State championship. He was subsequently named first-team All-State and first-team All-Metro League.

As a senior in 2009/10, Holt averaged 12.7 points, six rebounds, and six assists per game to lead Jesuit to its second straight Oregon Division 6A state title after guiding his team to a 25–2 overall record during the season.attended Jesuit High School in Beaverton, Oregon, where he was a two-time Oregon Division 6A State Player of the Year.

As a junior in 2008/09, he averaged 8.1 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 2.8 assists per game, while helping his team post a 25–3 overall record and a Oregon 6A State championship.

He was subsequently named first-team All-State and first-team All-Metro League.

As a senior in 2009/10, Holt averaged 12.7 points, six rebounds, and six assists per game to lead Jesuit to its second straight Oregon Division 6A state title after guiding his team to a 25–2 overall record during the season.

NBL EXPERIENCE

Stephen Holt made his NBL debut with the Melbourne United at 23 years of age. He scored 17 points in his first game.

Melbourne re-signed Daniel Kickert, added the Most Improved Player from the previous season, Todd Blanchfield (via Townsville), and managed to bring Chris Goulding back after a year in Spain.

Kickert had a stellar season, narrowly missing the exclusive 50–40–90 club, with shooting splits of 52.5/47.2/90.5, falling just four made free throws short. Melbourne finished the season in first place (18-10), with Daniel Kickert (14.8 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 1.2 assists) earning All-NBL First Team honours.

Despite this strong regular season under new coach Dean Demopoulos, the team was eliminated by New Zealand in the semifinals, losing in two straight games.

Holt appeared in 30 games, averaging 15.5 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 3.6 assists.

2017/18
After finishing eighth with a 10-18 record in their first season back in the NBL, Brisbane entered 2017/18 under head coach Andrej Lemanis with Adam Gibson remaining captain. Torrey Craig (to Denver), Jermaine Beal (to Israel) and Jeremy Kendle (to South West Metro) departed, while Stephen Holt (via CEZ Nymburk), Travis Trice (via Cairns) and Perrin Buford (via Italy) were added. Holt returned to the NBL after playing for Melbourne in 2015/16 and spending the following season in Spain and the Czech Republic, with Lemanis saying, “His speed up the court, his ability to get to the rim and his ability to knock down shots is really, really good.” Cameron Bairstow remained sidelined while recovering from the ACL injury suffered the previous season, while development player Will Magnay (via Tulsa) joined Brisbane in October.

Brisbane opened the season against defending champions Perth at Perth Arena on October 7, where Holt (7 points, 5 rebounds, and 3 assists) was restricted by Damian Martin as the Wildcats defeated the Bullets 96-86 in front of a record NBL opening-round crowd of 13,403. Trice (23 points, 5 rebounds, and 3 assists) and Daniel Kickert (18 points) led Brisbane, while Bryce Cotton (24 points, 4 rebounds, and 3 assists) led Perth.

Holt (9.7 points and 3.1 rebounds across 28 games) played every game for Brisbane, shooting 43 percent from the field, 37 percent from three and 81 percent from the free throw line. He did not miss a game through injury during the season.

Holt reached his season-high against Illawarra on October 22, making seven of his 12 field goal attempts and three three-pointers to finish with 17 points and 2 rebounds, but the Hawks overcame a 15-point first-quarter deficit to defeat Brisbane 105-96. Buford (26 points and 9 rebounds) and Kickert (21 points, 3 rebounds, 1 steal, and 2 blocks) also produced strong games for Brisbane, while Rotnei Clarke (26 points, 4 rebounds, and 4 assists) led Illawarra.

Six days later on the Gold Coast, Holt (17 points, 2 rebounds, 2 assists, and 2 steals) matched his season-high as Brisbane defeated Melbourne 87-85. The Bullets led by 16 points entering the fourth quarter before Melbourne rallied, but Chris Goulding missed a half-court three-pointer at the buzzer, with Trice (13 points, 3 rebounds, and 3 assists) and Buford (13 points, 4 rebounds, and 2 blocks) supporting Holt while Casey Prather (30 points and 6 rebounds) led Melbourne.

Holt’s best overall game of the season came in Sydney on February 10, where Holt (16 points, 3 rebounds, and 2 assists) made five of nine shots and all four of his free throws without committing a turnover, but the Kings defeated Brisbane 92-80. Kickert (18 points and 8 rebounds) and Trice (17 points and 6 assists) were Brisbane’s other leading performers, while Jerome Randle (24 points, 6 assists, and 2 steals) led Sydney, leaving the Kings and Bullets separated only by percentage with two games remaining in their battle to avoid last place.

Buford (15.9 points, 8.2 rebounds, 1.2 steals, and 1.3 blocks across 22 games) led Brisbane in scoring and rebounding before requesting his release late in the season to pursue an opportunity in Europe. Trice (15.4 points, 3.6 rebounds, 5.1 assists, and 1.3 steals across 27 games) was named Brisbane’s club MVP, while Kickert (13.8 points and 4.7 rebounds across 26 games) completed a 50-40-90 season for the second consecutive year. Tom Jervis (10.2 points and 4.6 rebounds across 24 games), Reuben Te Rangi (7.3 points across 26 games), Gibson (7.3 points and 3.5 assists across 24 games) and Anthony Petrie (5.9 points across 16 games) were the other main contributors.

Brisbane closed the season in Adelaide on February 17, where Holt (12 points, 3 rebounds, 1 assist, and 1 steal) came off the bench as the 36ers defeated the Bullets 105-82. Trice (20 points) and Shaun Bruce (9 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists, and 2 steals) led Brisbane, while Majok Deng (20 points and 3 steals) led Adelaide, leaving the Bullets in eighth place with a 9-19 record.

2018/19
After finishing last in 2017/18 with a 9-19 record, Brisbane reshaped its roster under coach Andrej Lemanis. Daniel Kickert (to Sydney), Tom Jervis (to Perth), Mitch Young (to Cairns), Anthony Petrie (retired), Shaun Bruce and imports Travis Trice and Perrin Buford departed, while captain Adam Gibson, Reuben Te Rangi and Will Magnay remained. Cameron Gliddon (via Cairns), Jason Cadee (via Sydney), Matthew Hodgson (via Adelaide), Mika Vukona (via New Zealand), Makoto Hiejima (via Japan) and Alonzo Gee (via Puerto Rico) were added, while Cam Bairstow returned after missing the previous season following a knee reconstruction. Hiejima joined under the NBL’s Asian Player rule, becoming the first Japanese player to sign with an NBL team, with Brisbane facing a difficult opening schedule that included 12 of its first 15 games against teams which had finished in the top four the previous season.

After playing all 28 games for Brisbane in 2017/18, Holt spent the NBL off-season with Stal Ostrów Wielkopolski in Poland before re-signing with the Bullets on May 23 for a second season. He returned to a substantially deeper backcourt following the additions of Cadee and Gliddon, with his role changing from the previous season when he had averaged 9.7 points and 3.1 rebounds in 26.9 minutes per game.

Brisbane opened the season in Auckland on October 11, where Holt (12 points, 2 rebounds, 1 assist, and 1 steal) made three three-pointers in 18 minutes off the bench as the Bullets defeated New Zealand 86-73 for their first win in Auckland since 2005. Gliddon (29 points, 6 rebounds, and 2 steals) and Bairstow (14 points and 5 rebounds) led Brisbane, while Corey Webster (23 points) was New Zealand’s leading scorer.

Holt (7.1 points across 11 games) came off the bench in every appearance, averaging 16.6 minutes while shooting 44.1 percent from the field and 36.8 percent from three-point range. He played in each of Brisbane’s first 11 games and did not miss any games through injury before leaving the team.

Holt’s best game came in Perth on November 9, where he made three three-pointers and finished with 11 points, 3 rebounds, 3 assists, and 2 steals as Brisbane fell 90-87 to the Wildcats. Hodgson (13 points and 5 rebounds) and Lamar Patterson (13 points, 5 rebounds, and 4 assists) led Brisbane’s scoring, while Bryce Cotton (37 points, 3 rebounds, 3 assists, and 2 steals) led Perth and hit the game-winning three-pointer.

Against his former club Melbourne on November 18, Holt (12 points, 3 rebounds, 3 assists, and 1 steal) produced one of his three season-high 12-point performances off the bench, but United defeated Brisbane 102-94. Gibson (19 points) and Gliddon (16 points and 2 steals) led the Bullets, while Casper Ware (23 points and 6 assists) was Melbourne’s best.

Holt’s final game came against Illawarra on November 22, where he scored 12 points off the bench as Brisbane defeated the Hawks 104-85 and entered the FIBA World Cup qualifying break with a 5-6 record. Patterson (24 points, 5 rebounds, and 5 assists) and Cadee (15 points, 3 rebounds, and 5 assists) led Brisbane, while AJ Ogilvy (16 points and 7 rebounds) was among Illawarra’s best.

Brisbane had already changed one import during the opening month, with Gee (7.8 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 1.5 steals across 4 games) released after requesting to return to the US for personal reasons and Patterson (17.8 points, 6.2 rebounds, 3.8 assists, and 1.3 steals across 24 games, via China) signed as his replacement. During the FIBA break Brisbane was looking to strengthen its guard rotation further, with Holt unhappy after being told his bench role could be reduced with another guard being added. On December 4, Holt (to Astana) was granted a mutual release to pursue an opportunity overseas. Lemanis said Brisbane had originally planned to strengthen the roster without moving Holt on, explaining, “The intent was to add, not replace.” There was no injury involved in his departure, with Brisbane’s next game not coming until December 8. Two days after his release, Holt signed with Astana in Kazakhstan for the remainder of the season.

Jeremy Kendle (6 points across 18 games), who had been training with Brisbane throughout the season, was initially added as a short-term replacement following Holt’s departure before being retained for the remainder of the season. Brisbane’s additional roster changes later included Nnanna Egwu as an injury replacement and A.J. Davis replacing the rarely used Hiejima.

Patterson developed into Brisbane’s leading scorer and was named to the All-NBL First Team as well as winning the Bullets’ club MVP award. Gliddon (13.7 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 1.2 steals across 29 games) and Bairstow (11.6 points and 5.8 rebounds across 29 games) provided additional scoring, while Te Rangi (9.9 points and 3.1 rebounds across 30 games) won both the NBL’s Most Improved Player and Sixth Man of the Year awards. Hodgson (9.6 points and 6.1 rebounds across 29 games), Cadee (8.3 points and 4.1 assists across 30 games), Vukona (6.7 points and 4.4 rebounds across 28 games) and Gibson (6.2 points across 30 games) were also key contributors as Brisbane finished fourth with a 14-14 record and qualified for the playoffs for the first time since 2008.

Holt was no longer with Brisbane when Perth opened the semifinals with an 89-59 win at RAC Arena behind Cotton (22 points, 5 rebounds, and 6 assists), Terrico White (19 points, 5 rebounds, and 3 assists) and Nick Kay (18 points and 10 rebounds), while Gliddon (18 points and 4 rebounds), Hodgson (10 points and 7 rebounds) and Patterson (9 points, 4 rebounds, and 6 assists) led Brisbane.

Game two moved to Brisbane, where Patterson (19 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists, and 3 steals), Hodgson (15 points and 2 blocks) and Bairstow (12 points and 7 rebounds) kept the Bullets close, but White (24 points), Cotton (19 points and 10 assists) and Kay (16 points and 15 rebounds) led Perth to an 84-79 victory to complete the 2-0 sweep.

Stephen Holt played three seasons in the NBL, playing for both the Melbourne United and the Brisbane Bullets. He averaged 11.7 points, 3 rebounds, and 2.2 assists in 69 NBL games.