He then had a three-year college basketball stint in the United States with the Boston Terriers.

[1] Upon returning to Australia, he re-joined the Devils and played a further two seasons.

After playing for the North Melbourne Giants in 1997 and 1998, he joined the Adelaide 36ers for the 1998–99 season and won his first championship.

Over the next two seasons, Stiff earned a personal three-peat as a member of the Sydney Kings' back-to-back championship teams.

In 2007–08, in what was his 15th and final season, Stiff won his sixth championship as a member of the Tigers.