NBL EXPERIENCE

David Logue made his NBL debut with the Bankstown Bruins on 24/5/1985. He went scoreless in his first NBL game.

By 1985, the gap between professional and semi-professional NBL clubs had widened considerably. Financially outmatched, the Bankstown Bruins struggled to remain competitive. The offseason saw the departure of cornerstone imports Eric Claus and Cliff Martin, who had led the team offensively during its most successful stretch. In their place arrived the explosive American duo of Vince Kelley and Vince Hinchen.

Despite their limited resources, Bankstown pulled off a major recruitment coup by signing reigning Rookie of the Year Damian Keogh from Nunawading. Fresh off a 20-point-per-game campaign, Keogh joined the Bruins in search of a larger role and greater minutes under returning coach Robbie Cadee.

The season began with a difficult opener against Keogh’s former club. Despite big games from Hinchen (36 points) and Kelley (30-point, 13-rebound), Bankstown fell to Nunawading 109–96, with Robert Scrigni torching the Bruins for 32 points on 14-of-18 shooting. A tight 92–89 loss to Canberra followed before the Bruins finally broke through with their first win of the season, against Geelong (107–103)—a game where Kelley (37 points and 22 rebounds), Hinchen (30 points), and Keogh (17 points and 9 assists) combined to show what this Bruins team was capable of on their best night. David Logue added 1 assist and 3 turnovers in limited minutes during the win.

However, any early momentum quickly evaporated. Bankstown dropped their next nine games, including a brutal loss to Coburg (115–144) where Bennie Lewis exploded for 43 points (18-of-29 shooting), 14 assists, and 5 steals. Despite Kelley (30 points) and Hinchen (21 points) being the primary scorers for Bankstown again, Bankstown’s defense was non-existent. Logue finished with 1 point, 2 rebounds, 4 assists and 1 steal in a 17-minute cameo off the bench.

Another painful defeat during this stretch came against the Adelaide 36ers in a high-scoring shootout, where ‘The Two Vinces’ combined for 83 of the team’s 110 points—Hinchen (43 points) and Kelley (40 points and 15 rebounds) having explosive games but the Bruins falling short (110–117). Logue recorded 3 points and 3 turnovers in the contest.

Kelley (31.6 points, 12.6 rebounds, 1.2 steals, 1.6 blocks) and Hinchen (30.9 points, 6.2 rebounds, 2.6 assists) started the season as one of the NBL’s most potent offensive duos. Keogh (13.1 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 5.3 assists), expected to flourish in a larger role, found the transition difficult and was unable to replicate his output from the previous year.

Beyond the imports, second-year forward Andrew Svaldenis was a bright spot (11.7 points and 8.0 rebounds), with other key contributors including Tony Barnett (8.0 points, 4.9 rebounds), Greg Hemmings (6.4 points, 2.1 assists), and Mark Cumberbatch (5.1 points, 3.8 rebounds).

David Logue provided support in a backup guard role, appearing in 19 games and averaging 1.8 points, 0.7 rebounds, and 1.6 assists

David Logue played two seasons in the NBL, playing for both the Bankstown Bruins and the West Sydney Westars. He averaged 1.7 points, 0.6 rebounds, and 1.5 assists in 20 NBL games.