BIO: Larry Sengstock was born in Maryborough (QLD) and began playing basketball as a junior with the Lang Park basketball club. He was a champion swimmer but was lured to the sport of basketball by his primary school teacher Ray Alloway. Larry was a tall boy for his age and Alloway thought he would be a great asset to the game of basketball. Larry was taught the fundamentals of the game by his school teacher, which led them both to succeed together in Regional, State and Australian Championships becoming the First Queensland team to win at a Australian Championship in 1975.

Larry completed his senior year at Aldridge State High School in Maryborough. Many visiting team’s from the USA made offers for him to move to the US, but he stayed in Australia.

NBL EXPERIENCE

Larry Sengstock made his NBL debut with the St. Kilda Saints at 18 years of age. He scored six points in his first game.

St Kilda entered the inaugural NBL season under coach Brian Kerle with an all-Australian roster built around Tony Barnett, Larry Sengstock, Danny Morseu, Steve Breheny and Robbie Cadee, a locally developed core whose familiarity from years in the state league translated smoothly into the new national competition.

After beginning the campaign at 3–3, the Saints quickly tightened their systems and settled into a rhythm built on execution, half-court discipline and an interior presence anchored by the 19-year-old Sengstock, whose activity around the basket complemented Barnett’s scoring reliability on the wing.

As their cohesion strengthened, St Kilda surged into a decisive run, winning their final 12 regular-season games and going a perfect 9–0 at home, a stretch in which they repeatedly controlled tempo and closed out tight contests with poise. Barnett produced several standout scoring nights during this period, including a 36-point effort against Bankstown and 35 points in a late-season victory over Canberra that effectively sealed top spot and reinforced his role as the team’s primary offensive constant.

Finishing the regular season at 15–3, the Saints advanced directly to the one-game Grand Final against the Canberra Cannons, whose attack centred on import big man Cal Stamp. In a tense and physical contest that ebbed and flowed throughout, Sengstock delivered a performance that defined both the match and his emergence as a premier young talent, scoring 33 points in a head-to-head battle with Stamp, who finished with 32.

The title came down to the final possession, where Cadee drew the defence and found Peter Vitols for a decisive basket at the buzzer, clinching a 94–93 win and securing the NBL’s first championship in dramatic fashion.

St Kilda’s 15–3 finish reflected the strength of their all-local roster, which also collected multiple state and domestic titles throughout 1979, underscoring their status as the country’s premier club during that era. Key contributors included leading scorer Tony Barnett (22.3 points), Grand Final MVP Larry Sengstock (17.6 points), Danny Morseu (15.8 points), Steve Breheny (13.3 points) and Robbie Cadee (12.3 points at a league-best 89.7 percent from the line).

Sengstock’s breakout season, in which he averaged 17.6 points and anchored the frontcourt as St Kilda reeled off 12 straight wins from a 3–3 start, culminated in his career-high 33-point Grand Final performance—an effort that began to define his long-term legacy in the league. His matchup with Stamp, alongside Canberra’s other imports Herb McEachin (23.8 points) and Jerry Lee (8.9 points), highlighted the contrast between Canberra’s import-driven build and St Kilda’s all-Australian approach, which remains the only championship core in NBL history constructed without international recruits.

1980
After winning the inaugural NBL title in 1979, St Kilda looked to back it up in 1980. Key talent Tony Barnett, Danny Morseu and Larry Sengstock would all return from the championship winning squad, and import Rocky Smith was added to inject some additional scoring power.

As the team battled it out with West Adelaide for the top position throughout the season, with five rounds to go, the Saints (10-3) added import Mike Slusher (12.3 ppg) would play the team’s last nine games of the season. Adding Slusher to the offensive brilliance of first year import Rocky Smith (33 ppg) and veteran Danny Morseau (18.5 ppg) ensured the Pumas would finish the regular season right alongside West Adelaide, with the team’s facing each other in the final game of the season to decide who would finish in top spot.

West Adelaide rode the offensive talents of Ken Richardson (31 points) and Rick Hodges (21 points) to defeat St Kilda, 88-90, resulting in both team’s ending the regular season on 17 wins and 5 losses. The Bearcats’ win equalled the team’s head to head record (1-1) but with St Kilda having won their first encounter by ten points, they retained first place on the ladder as they headed into the playoffs.

Rocky Smith, who finished the year as the league’s leading scorer, notched up 32 points in the team’s semi-final game to defeat Nunawading (101-77). In the opposite bracket, Rick Hodges (31 points) led the Bearcats to a win over Brisbane (101-94), setting up a grand final matchup with both St Kilda and West Adelaide on one win a piece.

The Grand Final resulted in a blowout, with the Saints fuelled by their end of the regular season loss and controlling the scoreboard (53-39) heading into half-time. Hodges (27 points) and Richardson (20 points) would then do everything they could for West Adelaide, but a well-balanced offensive attack saw Rocky Smith (26 points), Danny Morseu (19 points), Mike Slusher (18 points), Larry Sengstock (16 points) and Tony Barnett (14 points) all finish in double figures, making it impossible for the Bearcats to stop the Saints from scoring.

St Kilda would claim back-to-back NBL titles, winning the Grand Final 113-88.

Sengstock averaged 9.3 points for the Saints in 1980 and later that year was also named to the Australian Olympic team for the first time and played for the Boomers in 1980 Summer Olympics in Moscow, Russia.

1981
After winning the NBL’s first two championships in 1979 and 1980, St Kilda entered 1981 chasing a third straight title but lost Tony Barnett (to Geelong) and Gary Voss (retired) from the championship rotation.

Rumours persisted through the off-season that Olympians Danny Morseu and Larry Sengstock were also set to leave, but head coach Brian Kerle held the core together and both returned to chase another title with Rocky Smith, Mike Slusher and Steve Breheny back in the mix.

St Kilda opened the year as the competition benchmark after topping a pre-season poll of coaches and administrators, and Kerle’s preferred starting group featured Morseu, Sengstock, Breheny, Smith and Slusher.

Kerle added rookie Andy Blicavs to cover the holes left by Barnett and Voss, while Breheny returned after missing two seasons with injuries but appeared in only seven games across the campaign.

St Kilda’s season began on 21 February in Launceston, where they were edged by Launceston Casino City 90–88 despite Smith (26 points) and Morseu (26 points) combining for 52, with Sengstock (12 points) and Breheny (10 points) also scoring in the narrow loss.

The Saints steadied immediately with a 93–88 win over Coburg the next day, then began stacking results as their offence found its familiar rhythm around Smith, Morseu and Sengstock.

St Kilda strengthened their ladder position later in the year with a 120–95 win over Launceston Casino City at Albert Park, then produced one of their biggest statements on 14 June when they defeated Forrestville 115–98 at Albert Park behind Smith (44 points) and Slusher (16 points), with Morseu (14 points), Burbridge (12 points) and Sengstock (9 points) also contributing.

The Saints closed the regular season on 18 June with an 85–83 win over Nunawading at Kilsyth Stadium, with Smith (23 points), Blicavs (19 points) and Morseu (18 points) driving the result and Sengstock adding (11 points) in the final-round victory.

With Smith (28.8 ppg), Morseu (20.0 ppg), Sengstock (14.0 ppg) and Slusher (11.9 ppg) leading the way, St Kilda finished first on the NBL ladder (17–5), three games clear of second-place Launceston Casino City.

Other key contributors included Breheny (10.7 ppg), Blicavs (8.2 ppg) and Burbridge (5.4 ppg), as the Saints again topped the standings despite the early injury disruption to their starting backcourt.

At season’s end, Smith and Morseu were named to the All-NBL First Team after St Kilda’s first-place finish, while Sengstock’s return from the off-season uncertainty helped keep the Saints’ championship core intact across the home-and-away campaign.

With the 1981 NBL Finals approaching, St Kilda informed league officials they would instead compete in the 1981 FIBA Club World Cup in Brazil and forfeited their place in the playoffs, with Brisbane elevated into the finals in their place.

At the Club World Cup, St Kilda finished sixth behind Real Madrid (Spain), Sirio (Brazil), Clemson (USA), Atletica Francana (Brazil) and Ferro Carril Oeste (Argentina).

In the reshaped NBL Finals series, Launceston Casino City eliminated Brisbane 71–69 in the semi-finals and then defeated Nunawading 75–54 in the Grand Final as St Kilda’s season ended without an NBL playoff appearance despite the 17–5 minor premiership.

BRISBANE BULLETS
1982
In 1982, Sengstock left St Kilda to play in Brisbane under new coach Rick Harden. Sengstock (17.5 points, 10.1 rebounds, and 1 assist), despite it being only his first year with the Bullets, was named co-captain alongside import Brian Banks (22.4 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 1.8 assists).

The Bullets then finished in eighth place, missing out on qualifying for the finals.

1983
In 1983, Sengstock took over as sole team captain of the Bullets, and finished the season, putting up 13.9 points, 8.7 rebounds, and 1.8 assists per game. The Bullets recorded 10 wins and 12 losses and finished the year in fifth place.

The 1983 playoffs were played in unusual circumstances. As a cost-cutting measure, the NBL decided to play two divisional finals, a three-game round-robin tournament for the top eight team’s. This strangely saw the league’s two best team’s excluded from the NBL playoffs as both the first-placed team in the Western Divison (Sydney) and the first place team in the Eastern Division (Geelong) finished third in the three-game ‘play-in tournament’, eliminating them from the playoffs. West Adelaide and Coburg, who both had the same record (2-1) as Sydney but squeaked through to the finals thanks to a better points percentage, then faced Nunawading and Canberra in the semifinals.

The semi finals resulted in reigning champions West Adelaide defeating Nunawading 84-77 and Canberra eliminating Coburg 80-75. Canberra would go on to become champions, going undefeated in the playoffs and defeating Loggins and West Adelaide 75-73 in the championship game.

1984
Under new coach Brian Kerle the Bullets underwent a number of roster changes, the biggest being the return of Leroy Loggins, who had spent the previous two seasons with the West Adelaide Bearcats. The team then added import guard Ron ‘The Rat’ Radliff, known for his long curly hair and brilliant outside shooting, to help spread the floor for Loggins and co.

It clearly worked, as Loggins (29.3 points, 10.6 rebounds, 3.4 assists, 3.4 steals and 1.9 blocks) delivered his finest season to date, going on to be selected to the All NBL First team and voted the league’s Most Valuable Player.

Alongside Loggins and Radliff (20.0 points, 2.3 rebounds, 4.4 assists, and 2.0 steals), Sengstock added 18.6 points, 9.1 rebounds, and 3.1 assists.

The Bullets’ made their first playoff appearance since 1981, finishing the regular season in first place with a 19–5 record, a major improvement on their 10–12 record in 1983.

After defeating the Coburg Giants and the Geelong Supercats, they had reached the Grand Final for the first in Bullets history. The Grand Final would be played at a pre-determined ‘neutral’ venue that season (the last time the NBL held the Grand Final at a neutral location), the ‘Glass House’ in Melbourne.

Despite all the improvement Brisbane had delivered that season, the team ultimately fell short, losing to the defending champs Canberra 84–82. First year coach Kerle and his efforts in turning the team around were rewarded by the league voting him Coach of the Year.

1985
After falling short against Canberra Cannons in the previous year’s Grand Final, the Brisbane Bullets added the legendary Cal Bruton to the squad and a young John Dorge to the squad.

Behind the brilliance of Leroy Loggins (27.3 points, 10.3 rebounds, 3.8 assists, 3.7 steals, and 2.0 blocks), the returning Cal Bruton (17.0 points, 2.7 rebounds, and 3.6 assists) and team captain Larry Sengstock (16.9 points, 9.4 rebounds, and 1.7 assists) the Bullets emerged to be the league’s most powerful team. With head coach Brian Kerle having a season of experience behind him, he delivered a first-place finish for the second year in a row, this time with a 20–6 record.

The Bullets received a first-round bye in the NBL playoffs and would meet the winner of the elimination final between the Coburg Giants and last year’s champs, Canberra. Canberra eliminated Coburg convincingly by 23 points which would give Brisbane a chance at revenge after being beaten by the Cannons in the previous year’s Grand Final.

Loggins would lead the attack, racking up 28 points, 12 rebounds, 7 assists and 3 steals, Bruton added 16 points, 4 rebounds, and 7 assists and Sengstock finished with 11 points and 11 rebounds as Brisbane nabbed a 93-76 victory. Adelaide then defeated Newcastle by a record score of 151–103 on the other side of the semi final bracket.

With the game being held at their home venue, the Chandler Arena, the Bullets went into the series as favourites against the Adelaide 36ers, who, after merging with West Adelaide in 1985, had seen them become one of the strongest team’s in NBL history.

The grand final would be played as a single-game elimination (the last time the NBL decided a grand final this way) on Brisbane’s home court, the Sleeman Sports Centre.

Leading 78–74 and going into the last period of play, the Bullets then outscored Adelaide 42–21, setting a NBL grand final record for points scored in the final period and easily accounting for the 36ers. Sengstock recorded 23 points, 9 rebounds, and 6 assists, Bruton nearly replicated his semi final performance with 16 points, 5 rebounds, and 3 assists, and Loggins unleashed one of his finest games, notching up 41 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists and 2 steals in Brisbane’s 121-95 championship win.

Although there was no Grand Final MVP awarded that year, Loggins was named player of the game. Loggins form also saw him selected to his fourth straight All NBL First team.

1986
The team’s major change during the 1986 season was when they moved out of the Chandler Arena (2,700 seats) and into the brand new Brisbane Entertainment Centre, which could seat up to 13,500 fans. The move easily gave the Bullets the largest and newest home arena in the NBL at the time (the next largest venue in the league was The Glass House, which could only seat 7,200). At the time, the Entertainment Centre was not only the NBL’s but also Australia’s largest indoor arena.

Brisbane finished the regular season in third place (17–8) and progressed to their third Grand Final in a row after wins over the Sydney Supersonics and regular postseason rivals, the Canberra Cannons.

The team was led by Leroy Loggins (29.8 points, 8.9 rebounds, 3.1 assists, 3.3 steals and 1.3 blocks), who would win the NBL MVP that season, alongside Cal Bruton (16.6 points, 2.5 rebounds, and 3.0 assists) and team captain Sengstock (12.7 points, 8.7 rebounds, and 2.0 assists).

This season’s Grand Final would be decided in a best-of-three series for the first time ever. Brisbane would face Adelaide in a rematch of last year’s Grand Final, who, behind coach Ken Cole, had lost only two games all year and were unbeaten at home.

In the opening game, over 11,000 fans, a then indoor sports attendance record in Australia, saw the 36ers defeat the Bullets 122–119 in overtime at the Entertainment Centre. In game two, Brisbane became the only team to defeat the 36ers in Adelaide that year winning 104–83 at the Apollo Stadium. The Bullets would lose the deciding game three in Adelaide (113–91), Delivering Adelaide their first championship. Sengstock had a great individual game, contributing 12 points and 14 rebounds and crucially, Loggins fouled out of both game one and 3 of the Grand Final series, which limited his on-court impact.