Tony Ronaldson

HTML <h2><strong>No</strong><strong>83 TONY RONALDSON</strong></h2>

HTML <h2><strong>6 feet 8 inch (203cm) Forward</strong></h2>

HTML <h2><strong>1996</strong><strong>, 2004 </strong><strong>Olympic Games</strong></h2>

HTML <p>For the Australian Men’s Basketball Team (Boomers) it was the biggest game so far of the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games Basketball Tournament. The Boomers had to defeat the highly rated Croatian team that contained NBA stars Toni Kukoc and Dino Radja as well as world class players in the Vrankovics. With time running out the Boomers and Croatia were tied 66 all. The ball travelled up court to Tony Ronaldson. He was pressured on the wing with seemingly no shot with the shot clock about to run out. “I knew I had to take the shot...I put it up there...I was fouled so I didn’t actually see the ball in flight. I looked up and saw the ball go in. It was the biggest shot of my career,” said Tony afterwards. Ronaldson’s three point basket was followed by his made free-throw and suddenly the Australians were ahead 70—66. The teams traded free-throws for the remainder of the game and the Australians came out winners 73-71.</p>

HTML <p>Anthony “Tony” Dean Ronaldson was born May 25th, 1972 in Adelaide, South Australia.</p>

HTML <p>He began basketball when he and his brother played for the Ringwood Hawks. “I still remember my first game. I had no ideas what I was doing...I know we won...and I scored a basket,” recalls Tony.</p>

HTML <p>Tony adds, “What was important about my early days in basketball was the coaches that I had and the lessons, work ethic and expectation they instilled in all of us that played. My first coach was a man by the name of John Walsh who saw the potential in me. He was responsible for starting the Ringwood Hawks and we still remain in touch to this day. The Hawks joined the Melbourne East Basketball Association whose representative team was the Nunawading Spectres and the Head Coach of course was Barry Barnes. Right from when I commenced playing all of the coaches latched onto me because I was tall and before I knew it I was playing twice on a Saturday, Friday nights, training Sunday and mid week.... and this was under 12’s.”</p>

HTML <p>“Representing Victoria was the highlight of my junior days. I remember missing my first State Team in Under 16’s and the disappointment I felt and I was determined not to miss out again. I then went out and made the next fiveState Teams in each of my age groups as I progressed through the age groups up to Under 20’s,” recalls Tony.</p>

HTML <p>Tony was awarded a scholarship to attend the Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) in Canberra in 1988. He was to stay at the AIS until the end of 1989.While at the AIS he got the nickname “Bear” because of his build. It was a nickname that he would have for his whole basketball career. At the AIS he developed his classic low post moves and the beginnings of a very good three point shot for such a big player.</p>

HTML <p>Tony made his National Basketball League (NBL) debut in 1990 with the Eastside Spectres from Melbourne. The next year he was a member of the Spectres team that was beaten by the Perth Wildcats in the NBL Grand Final.</p>

HTML <p>Tony then made the move to play in the US College basketball system and had a successful season (1991/92) at Arizona State University. However basketball in Australia was at a very exciting stage and he returned to Australia in 1992 to continue to play in the NBL.</p>

HTML <p>In 1992 the Spectres merged with the South Melbourne Saints and Ronaldson signed a contract with the new Club. Tony enjoyed a very successful career with the Magic when the Club went on to play in four Grand Finals and win two NBL Championships (1992 and 1996).</p>

HTML <p>The mergers of his NBL Clubs continued when in the 1998/99 NBL season the Magic merged with another NBL Championship winning Club the North Melbourne Giants. The new club was called the Victoria Titans and Tony was signed by the Titans. He played with the Titans until the end of the 2002 season when he moved to the Perth Wildcats. He enjoyed a high profile time with the Wildcats and captained the team in the 2005/06 season until he was lured to the New Zealand Breakers in 2008. The Breakers were keen to use Ronaldson experience and leadership to build the blocks on which they could win their first championships. He was an ideal choice as he knew how to make the big plays, was a handful for any defence and was a “glue” type team player. Tony continued to play in the NBL for another two seasons and at the age of 38 he retired from basketball and the NBL after the 2010 season with the New Zealand Breakers. </p>

HTML <p>Tony Ronaldson played in the NBL for twenty years and holds the most games played record at 665 games, surpassing the great Andrew Gaze. He finished his career as the NBL 5th all time points scorer with 10,154 points, and 6th all-time in rebounds with 2,642.</p>

HTML <p>Tony’s international career began in 1989 while he was at the AIS when he played for the National Junior Team in the Oceania Tournament and on the team’s tour to the USA. In 1990 he played in the Oceania Youth Championships and went on the National Junior Team tour to Europe. </p>

HTML <p>He made his senior debut for Australia when he played against Italian Club Fortitudo-Bologna in 1991. That same year he played on the Australian Men’s Youth Team in the Olympic Youth Rally Tournament and then on the team at the 1991 World Junior Men’s Championship in Canada where the team finished 11th. </p>

HTML <p>His senior career for the Boomers resumed again in 1993 when he played in the series in Australia against the Russian National Team. He was a member of the Boomers team that won the Oceania 1994 World Championship Qualification Tournament in 1993 and toured the USA that same year. In 1994 he played for the Boomers against Marathon Oil, George Washington University and against domestic NBL and CBA All Stars. </p>

HTML <p>He was selected to the Boomers team for the 1994 World Championships held in Canada. Under Coach Barry Barnes the “Bear” and the Boomers secured 5th place equalling the best ever result for the Boomers at a World Championship.</p>

HTML <p>In 1995 he played for the Boomers against the Magic Johnson All Stars, the University of Missouri, Korea, and the Boomers team that won the Oceania 1996 Olympic Qualification Tournament. Tony played for the Boomers when they rounded off 1995 with a ten match tour to Europe.</p>

HTML <p>For Tony and all the Boomer players, however the big prize was Olympic selection. In 1996 he played against the NBA All Stars, Lithuania, and Italy and was selected to the Boomers team for the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games. It was at this tournament that Tony entered the folklore of Australia men’s basketball when he made the clutch three –point shot and free throw against Croatia that put Australia through to the semi-finals of the tournament. Tony was to have four very big games in that tournament with 17 points against Croatia and Puerto Rico and 12 points against Brazil and 11 against Greece.He also had a number of stand-out defensive games where he guarded much taller opponents. The Boomers had a magnificent tournament and gained 4th place, their equal best result.</p>

HTML <p>In 1997 Tony played for the Boomers against Croatia in a five match series in Australia, on the team that won the Oceania 1998 World Championship Qualification Tournament, and on the Boomers tour to USA.</p>

HTML <p>In 1988 Tony played for the Boomers against Canada in Australia in four games after which he was selected for the 1988 World Championships in Greece. On the way to Athens the Boomers won the Silver Medal in the Goodwill Games held in New York. At the World Championships the Boomersgained 9th place.</p>

HTML <p>For Tony, as for all the players, the 2000 Olympics was the big prize. In 1999 he played for the Boomers in the series in Australia against Russia, in the Berlin SuperCup and the Acropolis Tournament in Greece. He commenced 2000 playing with the Boomers in a series against Canada, then in the “Test Event” (five games), and in a series against Russia. Unfortunately Tony was not selected for the team for Sydney 2000. He was so close to selection, but it was not be. That is sport, and he took the bad news as a true sportsman.</p>

HTML <p>It would be two years later in 2002 before Tony would wear the Green and Gold again. This time it was for the Boomers in a six match series against China and a tour to Yugoslavia and Spain. Australia had failed to qualify for the 2002 World Championships.</p>

HTML <p>In 2003 Tony was a member of the Boomers team to tour Europe for eight games. He was on the Boomers Team that won the Oceania 2004 Olympic Qualification Tournament and played in the Boomer series in Australia against Czechoslovakia.</p>

HTML <p>Tony’s ambition was to play in another Olympics and put the disappointment of not playing in Sydney 2000 behind him. He played for the Boomers in the Four Nations Tournament in Australia in 2004 and in the New Zealand Series, the Diamond Ball Tournament in Belgrade and in the three games Italy International Tournament in Italy.</p>

HTML <p>He was then selected on the Australian Team to play in the 2004 Athens Olympics. At this time he was a veteran on the team, now coached by Brian Goorjian his coach at the Melbourne Magic all those years before. The Boomers were disappointed when they lost early games and although finishing strongly were to come, for them, a disappointing 9th.</p>

HTML <p>His career for Australia was still not over. In 2006 at the age of 34 he had the honour of being Co-captain of the Boomers team that won the Gold Medal at the 2006 Commonwealth Games held in Melbourne. Winning Gold was an excellent and deserving way for Tony to end his international career. In that career he played 254 games for Australia (208 senior and 46 Junior).</p>

HTML <p>“It’s funny that for the whole time that I was growing up it was never a thought of mine that I would play basketball for a living, particularly the fact that the sport wasn’t professional in Australia at this stage but I never could have dreamt about playing professionally for twenty years”, says Tony. </p>

HTML <p>“It is hard for me to pick out individual moments in my twenty year career but representing my country on any occasion has to rank as a highlight for me. Whether it was the Olympic Games, World Championships, Commonwealth Games or a tour to the States....it was always an honour to play in the Green and Gold”, says Tony proudly.</p>

HTML <p>Tony Ronaldson was one of the great journeymen of Australian Basketball. His long distinguished career over twenty years in the NBL, where he holds the record for most games played, and his seventeen year international career for Australia are testament to his talents, endurance, durability and love of the game. “The Bear” will be remembered in Australian Basketball as one of the outstanding players of his era and as a great ambassador of the game.</p>

HTML <p>Tony Ronaldson playing for Australia against England (Basketball Australia)</p>