Hall of Fame 2016 Inductees

QBHF 2016 INDUCTEES

Celebrating the Queensland Basketball Community

The Queensland Basketball Hall of Fame (QBHF) began in 2014 to recognise and honour the exceptional performances, achievements and contributions by individuals to the sport of basketball. Inductees are selected by the Honors and Awards Committee (HAC) and reflect the rich history of our Queensland basketball community.

Introducing the 2016 Queensland Basketball Hall of Fame Inductees:

Allan Dobbs

Allan Dobbs was an active basketball referee for more than 25-years, in Rockhampton, Pittsworth, and Brisbane. He refereed at Queensland State Championships from the mid-1960’s until well into the 1970’s and was one of the first referees to be awarded a State refereeing badge.

Allan attended many Australian championships as referee. At the under-18 men’s Australian championships in Sydney in 1971, Allan was awarded his Australian badge which he maintained for quite some years. He was Vice-President of Brisbane Basketball Referees’ Association (BBRA) for nine years, President for two years, and is a life member.

Allan was BBRA referees’ coach for more than ten years during the 1970’s and 1980’s
He was a member of Queensland Basketball Referees’ Association (QBRA) for more than 25-years. He was QBRA President in 1971 and Vice-President in 1972 and 1973. He was elected a QBRA life member in 1982. Allan was a member of the QBRA standards committee for many years from before 1970 into the 1980s.

He was also Queensland state rules interpreter between 1977 and 1980, and his reports and referee education in service documents added significantly to the consistency and commonality of refereeing across Queensland. During the 1970s and 1980s Allan was a highly sought-after referee coach and he conducted referee courses and clinics – too many to count – throughout the state. Under Allan’s guidance, several Queensland officials attained Australian and FIBA rankings.

Allan was an active contributor to the BBRA and QBRA newsletters and regularly used these documents as the vehicle to carry many of his messages about refereeing. In addition, he coached the Queensland under 16 boys team at the 1961 and 1962 Australian Championships and represented Queensland as a player in 1962.

He was also the the inaugural president of Rockhampton Men’s Amateur Basketball Association and founder of Pittsworth basketball.

Allan Dobbs – another outstanding early contributor to referee education and administration in Queensland who, along with a number of colleagues, built the platform on which others would go on to achieve national and international success – and a very worthy member of the Class of 2016 of the Queensland Basketball Hall of Fame.

Sadly, Allan passed away on 2 February 2021.

Dell Harney

Del Harney never played Basketball, but has been an integral part of the game in Rockhampton for many years. She became involved when her sons played with the Falcons Club in the early 1980’s. She is the longest serving Secretary in the history of Rockhampton Basketball being first elected in 1982 and resigning in 2009. Effectively, she served as a full- time Secretary with no remuneration for 27 years.

She has been involved also in Rockhampton Basketball Bingo since its commencement. The bingo is an important part of the funding of Rockhampton Basketball in the QBL competition. Del was awarded Life Membership of Rockhampton Basketball in 1997 and, in the same year, was named “Basketball Australia Volunteer of the Year”.

She received the Australian Sports Medal in 2000 and then Basketball Queensland’s “Chairman’s Award” in 2011. No matter what the situation, Del will always find a solution.

With her positive and cheerful disposition in basketball in Queensland for over 30 years, Del Harney is the ideal type of volunteer that the sport needs to survive and thrive; and is indeed a very worthy member of the Class of 2016 of the Queensland Basketball Hall of Fame.

Harry Dean

Harry Dean was an active member of the Queensland Basketball Referees’ Association (QBRA) for more than 25-years from 1970 until the 1990s. He attended his first state championship as a referee in 1972 and continued refereeing state championships for many years. At this 1972 state championship, Harry was awarded the State refereeing badge and attended his first Australian championship as a referee and continued refereeing Australian championships for many years. At every Australian championship which he attended, he was appointed to call the final.

Within local basketball, Harry was an active referee at Townsville, Mt. Isa, and Mackay basketball associations in the 1970s and 1980s. In 1975, Harry was elected as referee coach for North Queensland basketball referees and to Townsville junior referees, and in those positions, he travelled widely offering referee education courses. In 1975 Harry was appointed to Queensland referees’ appointments board. He served in this position for many years including participating in several championships as referee commissioner and referee coach in the 1970s and 1980s.

Harry Dean was Vice-President of QBRA for three years prior to becoming President for ten years from 1980 until 1989; and was elected as a life member of QBRA in 1984, one of only nine life members of QBRA. A key feature of Harry’s presidency was his promotion and active participation in regional referee education and referee coach education seminars.

On his transfer to Mackay Harry Dean promoted the annual Australia Day basketball carnival as a vehicle for referee education, and this pioneered audio and video feedback to referees. The Mackay Australia Day carnival became known across Australia as the place-to-be for early-in-the-year referee education with many of Australia’s senior referee coaches involved

He continues to referee weekly at the Mackay housewives’ basketball competitions.
Harry Dean – an outstanding early contributor to referee education in Queensland who, along with a number of colleagues, built the platform on which others would go on to achieve national and international success – and a very worthy member of the Class of 2016 of the Queensland Basketball Hall of Fame.

Rayleen Lynch (Decker)

Rayleen Lynch was born in Cairns and became a multi-sport prodigy, gaining representative honours in basketball, tennis, softball, and athletics. After being introduced to basketball at St. Monica’s College in Cairns, Rayleen started playing club basketball for Saints then joined CYM. Rayleen also played club basketball in Cairns for Dominos and at the age of 16-years was recruited to play in Brisbane for North-West Districts.

Rayleen captained the Far North Queensland women’s team from 1963 until 1968. In 1963 Rayleen first represented Queensland in basketball when she was selected in the team to contest the Australian championship in Perth. Rayleen continued to represent Queensland until 1973, taking time out to have her children, and being selected as captain in 1966 and 1967.

In 1967 Rayleen was selected to represent Australia on a tour of Europe which culminated in participation in the World Championships in 1967 in Prague. With this selection Rayleen became the first Queensland basketballer to represent Australia.

In 2008 Rayleen Decker and Danny Morseu were among those inducted into the Cairns Basketball Hall of Fame. Rayleen (Lynch) [Brady] Decker is a pioneer of elite basketball in Queensland. She is a very worthy member of the Class of 2016 of the Queensland Basketball Hall of Fame.

David Claxton

David Claxton came to Queensland from Tasmania in 1973 and has been a loyal servant of the game in Queensland ever since. On his arrival from Tasmania David joined the North West Districts club and had coaching success at a Brisbane championship level and at the Australian Club titles.

After captaining Queensland in 1974 and 1975, he coached the Queensland men’s team in 1976 and 1977 taking Queensland to its best national ranking – third in 1977. In 1979 David took the Gold Coast side to the national club titles and along the way won the inaugural Queensland Club Championships and the initial AAABL crown.

David’s coaching of junior basketball has included: Coaching North West Districts junior teams in the Brisbane competition, Coaching at Queensland state championships in 1984 –1986; 1988 Coaching at Australian championships in1986 – 1990. David Claxton was one of those instrumental in the establishment of the Queensland State League competition, designed to provide a stepping stone from junior ranks to the NBL. His coaching within the state league and Queensland senior leagues included:Coaching the Brisbane Brewers to third place in the foundation year of 1986. Head coach of the Gold Coast Goannas in the State League 2001 – 2004.

David’s National Basketball League coaching career included: Brisbane Bullets: Coach in 1980 and1981 and assistant coach in 1988 and 1989. David also spent several years coordinating the Bullets development program thus influencing the development of many elite junior players. Gold Coast Rollers: Coach from 1991 to 1996 ; Adelaide 36ers: Head coach 1997; Wollongong Hawks: Assistant coach 1999.

In addition, David was instrumental in the successful push for the Gold Coast Blaze to enter the NBL, where he took on the role of general manager. David was Assistant Coach of the Australian National men’s team, the Boomers, at the 1994 world championships.

For more than 15 years since 2001 David has worked as basketball director and head coach of The Southport School. David has provided a pathway for many Queensland country boys to participate in an elite basketball program and competition. Results include premiers in 2009 and premiers and champion school of Queensland in 2012.

For more than 40-years David Claxton has participated as a coach at every level of basketball in Queensland. He has mentored thousands of players and hundreds of coaches on their basketball journeys. He is indeed a very worthy member of the Class of 2016 of the Queensland Basketball Hall of Fame.

Patricia (Trish) Cockrem

Born in Ayr on 17 May 1961, Patricia was educated in Ayr at both Primary and Secondary School level. She learned her basketball from her father Myles. During her school years, Patricia participated in many sports, and was a leader in both sporting and school activities.

She came under the influence of Olympian Ian Watson at an early age and this continued when he became the State Director of Coaching in 1979. Other coaching influencers were Patsy Nielsen, Vince Flynn, Pam Hamilton-Smith, and Harry Spencer.

Basketball success came with Premiership wins in the Townsville competition, and selection in Queensland Under-16 and Under-18 teams. She captained the Queensland Under-16 team which won Queensland’s first girls’ National Title. On completing her secondary education, Patricia was recruited to the St Kilda Club in Melbourne and was a member of its1981 and 1982 WNBL Championship Teams. In one year, with Trisha as a major force, St Kilda won the Victorian State Championship, the Australian Club Championship, and the WNBL…..a rare feat.

Patricia represented in the Australian Women’s Team from 1981 to 1986, competing (among others) in World Championship in Brazil, Commonwealth Championship in New Zealand (Gold Medal), and Olympics in Los Angeles thereby becoming a member of the very first Australian Women’s Olympic Basketball Team. Trisha retired from International basketball in 1986.

As a player only 5’6” (167cm) tall, Trisha was a dynamic guard with explosive speed. She was strong and an excellent defender. She was a fierce competitor and excellent team player. Her leadership was a very important part of her success.

Returning to Queensland, Patricia played for Ipswich in the local Metropolitan competition, represented the Lady Bullets in the WNBL, and played in the Southern Districts Basketball Association, and continued as a successful Senior and Junior Coach at National, State, and local association levels.

Patricia was awarded the Australian Sports Medal in 2000. Patricia Cockrem – a trailblazer for women’s representative basketball in Queensland and as a member of the very first Australian Women’s team to play in Olympic competition. She reserves a special place in Australian basketball history and is a very worthy member of the Class of 2016 of the Queensland Basketball Hall of Fame

Charlie Doyle OAM

Charles Francis Doyle was a serving officer in the Royal Australian Air Force in Japan in 1947 when he was introduced to basketball. On being posted to Townsville in 1949, he joined the Cathedral Team competing in the Catholic YCW Competition.

From 1949 to 1952 Charlie was coach of the Townsville men’s representative team and of many teams across all grades. In 1951, the Townsville Men’s Amateur basketball Association Executive obtained a lease of an area in Corcoran Park, which became the home of Townsville Basketball until 1975. Charlie coached several teams in the resulting competition.

Between 1952 and 1965 Charlie was transferred to a number of RAAF bases in Australia, including Townsville, and Manus Island. Charlie’s brief return to Townsville in the mid-1950’s saw him appointed as assistant coach of the Queensland men’s team in 1955 and coach of the Queensland men’s team in 1958. Charlie was discharged from the RAAF in 1965 and settled permanently in Townsville.

Between 1966 and 1980, Charlie filled a multiplicity of roles in basketball in Townsville and North Queensland, including team coach, club coach, Townsville coach, North Queensland coach, Secretary/Treasurer and President of Bouncers Club, President of the Townsville Minor Junior Association, President of the Townsville Minor Junior Referees’ Association, President of North Queensland Basketball Association.

In about 1966, to assist in the rejuvenation of Townsville’s junior basketball program, Charlie visited the Hermit Park State School to offer coaching. Basketball courts were constructed at the school and Hermit Park became The Basketball School. In 1984, Charlie organised a school’s program from which players were encouraged to join the basketball clubs. The school program took off, so much that the clubs were unable to cater for all of the children wishing to join. The primary school basketball program eventually grew to over 5,000 participants with Charlie often coaching eight classes each day.

Townsville Junior Basketball blossomed to over 150 teams by the time that Charlie retired (again) in 1990. However, he continued to offer basketball coaching at primary school level for some years.
Charlie Doyle’s programs produced many of the North Queensland and State players who were the “backbone” of teams when inter-Zone and inter-State championships were still played, and even produced an NBL coach.

Charlie is a Life Member of North Queensland Basketball, Townsville Basketball, and Bouncers Basketball Club. In the Australia Day Honours’ List in 1990, Charles Francis Doyle was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia for services to Junior Basketball.
Sadly, Charlie Doyle OAM passed away on the 3rd September 2016 and was inducted into the Hall of Fame posthumously. His lifetime of commitment to basketball makes Charlie Doyle a very worthy member of the Class of 2016 Queensland Basketball Hall of Fame.

Read about Charlie’s Career in his own words here.

Danny Morseu

A Torres Strait Islander, Danny Morseu was born on 7 September 1958 on Thursday Island.
He started playing basketball at school and, despite being cut from his primary school team, he developed into a tall, talented teenage athlete. After completing school he moved to Cairns where he played basketball and rugby league.

In 1976, Danny played in the Queensland Under-20 team and in 1977, he was ‘discovered’ by St Kilda coach, Brian Kerle, and he moved to Melbourne to play with St Kilda. Such was Danny’s dramatic improvement from his move to Victoria and into its Under-20 team that he was selected in 1978 as a member of the Australian Men’s (Senior) team for the World Championship in the Philippines. That team contained also the young Larry Sengstock.

In 1979, Danny was a member of the St Kilda team to win the very first (Australian) NBL title, and which went on to win again in 1980. He played 217 NBL games in total, winning another NBL championship with the Brisbane Bullets in 1987. He was named in the NBL-All Star in 1980 and 1981 and, around that time, the then national men’s coach, Lindsay Gaze, described Danny as: “The closest player we have in Australia to being a (US) NBA player”.

In all, Danny represented Australia 47 times including:
- One World Championship in 1978 (a knee injury prevented his selection in 1982);
- Olympic Games in 1980 and 1984;
- Commonwealth Championship in 1983.

Danny recalls from his appearance at his first Olympics in Moscow in 1980: “I was a starter in our first game against Cuba and the hair on the back of my neck stood up; I had goose bumps all over. The referee blew the whistle and it was history….I was the first Torres Strait Islander born in the Torres Strait to compete in the Olympic Games.”

Danny retired from international competition in 1984 and from the NBL in 1989, but continued to play locally in Brisbane. He was awarded the Australian Sports Medal in 2000 and inducted into what is now the Australian Basketball Hall of Fame in 2001.

Danny went on to run a number of State and Federal programs involved with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Sport. He continues this work today and now lives in Canberra.
He is an uncle of Patty Mills and has mentored both him and Nathan Jawai in achieving their very successful international careers.

Danny Morseu: an outstanding Australian; his prodigious talent on and off the basketball court has earned the admiration of all those who have been part of his life and the game he loves. A most worthy member of the Class of 2016 of the Queensland Basketball Hall of Fame.

Larry Sengstock

Larry was born in Maryborough on 4 March 1960. He grew very quickly and was 5’11” (181cm) at 11 years of age. When he started high school at 12, he was 6’2” (187cm). At school, he was coached by the legendary Ray Alloway who taught the fundamentals of basketball and encouraged children to play.

Larry was soon to begin a representative career representing Wide Bay at the Australian Under 14 Club Championships at Wynyard in 1972. In 1975, he was a member of the Queensland Under-16 Team which won Queensland’s first Australian Championship under coach Ray Alloway.

After finishing Year 12 at Aldridge High School (Maryborough), Larry moved to Melbourne to play with St Kilda and to study at University. In 1977, he made his debut for the Australian Men’s Team playing against a visiting overseas team (Perugina) and toured to USA and Europe. In 1978, at 18, [and by now 6’6” (198cm)] Larry was selected in the Australian Men’s Team for the World Championship in the Philippines when he was yet to represent Australia at the Junior level.

He first represented Australia as a junior at the 1979 World Championship in Brazil.
In 1979, the (Australian) National Basketball League (NBL) began and Larry was a member of the victorious St Kilda team which took out the first title.

He was to go on to have an illustrious career in the NBL. He played 456 NBL games between 1979 and 1996 with St Kilda Saints, Brisbane Bullets, Gold Coast, and North Melbourne Giants; he was certainly a favourite ‘Queensland son’ welcomed home to the Bullets.
He won five NBL championships: St Kilda 1979 and 1980; Brisbane 1985 and 1987; and North Melbourne 1994, scored 5,466 points and hauled in 3,221 rebounds. He was the NBL Grand Final MVP in 1979 and the NBL MVP medal, presented annually, is named in his honour.

Likewise, he had a very successful career internationally, representing Australia eight times at the World Junior Championships. At the senior level, 79 times in official international competition, and another 206 times in international tournaments and games. These included the World Championships in 1978, 1982, 1986, and 1990; and the Olympic Games in 1980, 1984, 1988, and 1992.

He was one of the most-feared “big men’ on the international scene. Larry was awarded the Australian Sports Medal in 2000 and inducted into what is now the Australian Basketball Hall of Fame in 2001. Always a great ambassador for both Queensland and Australia, Larry in recent years has pursued a career in sports administration and consultancy.

Larry Sengstock: a very worthy member of the Class of 2016 of the Queensland Basketball Hall of Fame.

Sandy Brondello

Sandy Brondello, born on 20 August 1968 in Mackay, started playing basketball from age 9. In her own words: “I fell in love with basketball from game one”. At age 12, she was already playing “A” Grade basketball in Mackay and Under-14 representative ball, progressing through Uner-16, Under-18, and Under-20. She was heavily influenced and coached by Carol Insch and the legendary Norma Connolly.
Sandy’s following career cannot be summarised readily but here is a snapshot.

- Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) scholarship holder (1986-1987);
- WNBL player (1986 to 1996) with AIS, Bankstown, Sydney, and Brisbane;
- WNBL Leading scorer 1994, 1995 and All-WNBL selection in the same years;
- WNBL Most Valuable Player 1995;
- 302 games for the Australian Opals
- Four Olympic Games (1988, 1996, 2000, 2004) for one bronze and two silver medals;
- Four World Championships (1990, 1994, 1998, 2002) for two bronze medals;
- Basketball Australia’s Maher Medal winner for the Opals’ player of the year;
- One of the first two Australian women to pioneer playing abroad in Europe;
- Ten-time champion German champion with Wuppertal Club;
- Four appearances at FIBA Euroleague Final Four (1994, 1996, 1997, 1998) with Wuppertal
- Euroleague Champion and Final Four MVP (1996) with Wuppertal;
- Euroleague All-Star 1994, 1996, 1997.
- WNBA (USA) player (1998 to 2003) with Detroit, Miami, and Seattle (started in 150 of 159 games);
- WNBA All-Star 1999;
- Assistant Coach, San Antonio Silver Stars 2005-2009 and Head Coach 2010;
- Lead Assistant Coach, Los Angeles Sparks 2011-2013;
- Named Head Coach, Phoenix Mercury on 15 November 2013 and coached the team to a WNBA
Championship win in 2014, and was also named WNBA Coach of the Year.
- She continues coaching Phoenix Mercury in 2016 and, in the off-season, serves as Assistant Coach
to her Sandy Brondello - Basketball QLD Coachhusband, Olaf Lange, with Russian Club UMMC
Ekaterinburg. Sandy was awarded the Australian Sports medal in 2000 and inducted into what is
now the Australian Basketball Hall of Fame in 2010.

Sandy Brondello: a favourite ‘Queensland daughter’ and arguably Queensland’s most successful basketball athlete; and a very worthy member of the Class of 2016 of the Queensland Basketball Hall of Fame.

QBHF 2016 INDUCTEES

Celebrating the Queensland Basketball Community

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