Larry Sengstock

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Larry Sengstock
Personal information
Born (1960-03-04) 4 March 1960 (age 65)
Maryborough, Queensland, Australia
Listed height198 cm (6 ft 6 in)
Listed weight98 kg (216 lb)
Career information
High school Aldridge State
(Maryborough, Queensland)
Playing career1979–1996
Position Forward
Career history
1979–1981 St. Kilda Saints
1982–1989 Brisbane Bullets
1990–1992 Gold Coast Cougars/Rollers
1993–1996 North Melbourne Giants
Career highlights

Lawrence James "Larry" Sengstock (born 4 March 1960) [1] is an Australian former professional basketball player and executive. He played 18 seasons in the National Basketball League (NBL) between 1979 and 1996 before later becoming chief executive officer of Basketball Australia.

Contents

Early life

Sengstock was born in Maryborough, Queensland, [1] where he graduated from Aldridge State High School. [2] [3] He was a good swimmer growing up before focusing on basketball at age 14. [4] [5] He played for Lang Park Basketball Club in Brisbane alongside his brothers, Rod and Geoff. [6]

Playing career

NBL

Sengstock debuted in the National Basketball League (NBL) in the league's inaugural season in 1979. [4] He played his first three seasons with St. Kilda, winning NBL championships in 1979 and 1980 and earning the inaugural NBL Grand Final Most Valuable Player Award.

In 1982, Sengstock relocated back to Queensland and joined the Brisbane Bullets, where he earned his first and only All-NBL Team honour that year. [7] In 1984, he became captain of the Bullets. [4] He went on to win two NBL championships with the Bullets in 1985 and 1987, playing eight seasons in total before joining the Gold Coast Cougars in 1990 for their inaugural season in the NBL. [8] Following the 1990 season, the Cougars' licence was revoked by the NBL and, during the buyout by the new owners, Sengstock was left out of pocket by $40,000 (Approx. $95,000 in 2024 terms). [9] He ultimately re-joined Gold Coast, now the Rollers, for the 1991 season. In November 1991, Sengstock quit the Rollers to re-join his former club in Melbourne (now called the Southern Melbourne Saints). [10] However, in January 1992, the Saints would merge with cross town rivals the Eastside Melbourne Spectres to form the South East Melbourne Magic. Sengstock was subsequently left without a contract and chose to return to the Gold Coast Rollers for the 1992 season. [11]

In 1993, Sengstock finally returned to Melbourne by signing with the North Melbourne Giants. There he'd win another championship in 1994 before finally retiring following the 1996 season. [12]

In total, Sengstock played 456 NBL games over 18 seasons. [13] He recorded 5,083 points (12.2 ppg), 2,981 rebounds (7.1 rpg), and 764 assists (1.8 apg). [14] The NBL's Grand Final MVP award was named the Larry Sengstock Medal in his honour and in 2001, he was named to the Australian Basketball Hall of Fame. [15]

National team

Sengstock was named to the 1980 Australian Olympic team and played for the Boomers at the Moscow Olympics. He also represented Australia at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics, 1988 Seoul Olympics and 1992 Barcelona Olympics, and at four FIBA World Championship tournaments (1978, 1982, 1986 and 1990). [15]

Executive career

In April 2009, Sengstock was appointed chief executive officer of Basketball Australia. [16] He resigned from his position in April 2012. [17]

Honour roll

NBL career:1979–1996
NBL Grand Final appearances:8 (1979, 1980, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1994, 1995)
NBL Championships:5 (1979, 1980, 1985, 1987, 1994)
NBL Grand Final MVP:1 (1979)
All-NBL First Team:1 (1982)
NBL 20th Anniversary Team:1998
NBL 25th Anniversary Team:2003

NBL career stats

Games:456 (56 StK, 208 Bri, 74 GC, 118 NM)
Points:12.0 pg [13]
Field Goals:2,345 / 5,102 (46.0%) [13]
3 Points:72 / 229 (31.4%) [13]
Free Throws:704 / 1,176 (59.9%) [13]
Rebounds:7.1 pg [13]
Assists:1.8 pg [13]
Steals:0.9 pg [13]
Blocked Shots:0.6 pg [13]

References

  1. 1 2 "Larry Sengstock Bio, Stats, and Results". Olympics at Sports-Reference.com. Archived from the original on 18 April 2020. Retrieved 7 August 2025.
  2. ↑ "Sengstock name has big ring to it". couriermail.com.au. Fraser Coast Chronicle. 16 August 2006. Retrieved 27 December 2025.
  3. ↑ Mcinerney, Matthew (13 August 2016). "OUR OLYMPIANS: Is Sengstock our best-ever basketballer?". couriermail.com.au. Fraser Coast Chronicle. Retrieved 27 December 2025. The Maryborough-born, Aldridge State High School graduate...
  4. 1 2 3 Low, Tracy (2 September 1988). "LARRY SENGSTOCK PROFILE". Torres News . Retrieved 27 December 2025– via Trove.
  5. ↑ "A genial giant comes home". noosatoday.com.au. 22 July 2021. Retrieved 27 December 2025.
  6. ↑ "Larry Sengstock TROPHY". Lang Park Basketball Club. Retrieved 27 December 2025.
  7. ↑ "All NBL TEAMS". NBL.com.au. Archived from the original on 6 February 2002. Retrieved 21 February 2023.
  8. ↑ "Sengstock will lead the NBL's newest recruit". The Canberra Times . 3 November 1989. Retrieved 27 December 2025– via Trove.
  9. ↑ Larry Staying put, Basketball Week, Vol. 2, No. 5, 3 April 1991, p.3.
  10. ↑ Sengstock quits to rejoin his old club, The Canberra Times, 24 November 1991
  11. ↑ 1993 NBL Media Guide - Gold Coast Rollers Roster, p.51
  12. ↑ 1997 NBL Media Guide - North Melbourne Giants Off Season Moves, p.45
  13. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 "Larry Sengstock - Player Statistics NBL 1987". GameDay. Retrieved 27 December 2025.
  14. ↑ Brown, Peter (8 February 2025). "Ranked: The Top 25 NBL Players of All-Time | Basketball.com.au". www.basketball.com.au. Retrieved 27 December 2025.
  15. 1 2 "Larry Sengstock OLY". www.australia.basketball. Retrieved 27 December 2025.
  16. ↑ "AUS - Australian basketball names new leader". www.fiba.basketball. 7 April 2009. Retrieved 27 December 2025.
  17. ↑ "Basketball Australia CEO Larry Sengstock resigns". Basketball Australia . 13 April 2012. Archived from the original on 16 April 2012. Retrieved 27 December 2025.
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