A list of big guys who need a home. You can help!

Holland/WM Lakers F/C Josh Weatherspoon goes up for a shot in the post

Stephen Bell over at High School Basketball Bulletin put a couple pieces together about some available West Michigan talent.  Specifically big guys, and focusing particularly on how they compare to the rest of their class in terms of collegiate potential.  With the Division-1 early signing period starting on November 11, now is the perfect time to begin this discussion.

So we’ll start with Bell’s analysis (indented) and I’ll rebut.  Feel free to interject.

The West Michigan Lakers were likely the state’s best AAU team. They just seemed to have all the right pieces. One of those was Shane Tiemeyer, a 6-10 senior from Zeeland West. Can you be a 6-10 ‘tweener? Tiemeyer is. He’s long and mobile, but doesn’t play above the rim. He doesn’t block shots, but takes charges. At around 200 pounds, not a banger.

Bell makes a good point here.  As one of, I believe, 11-kids, it’s amazing how large Tiemeyer is, but it’s all height.  No girth whatsoever.  Licorice stick, thy name is Tiemeyer.  Even so, you’re not going to find him backing down to anyone.  With Tiemeyer and Lakers teammate Austin Semple manning the wing, the Dux are a contender this year.

Once considered a better water polo prospect, 6-9 Grandville senior Collin DeHaan has become a legit basketball player as well. He’s well-built, moves with some agility, and can run and turn ends.

Hudsonville looks like one of the best teams in West Michigan, with senior guards, new coach Eric Elliott, and a gifted big man in 6-7 senior Austin Elling. This lefty is smooth, long and active. He’s smart in space and can hit shots with a high release.

This one might be jumping the gun a bit.  Remember, the Eagles were 8-15 in 2008 with those guards and Elling.  Plus, while Elling’s got tons of potential because of his height and quickness, he was a role player on the loaded West Michigan Lakers team.  Let’s wait until he proves himself some more before anointing him the savior.

When ACB picked up 6-8 Grandville Calvin Christian senior Tyler Kruis for the Hoosier Shootout, it was a better team. Kruis, a star for Calvin’s Class C quarterfinalist, is a legit post player who scores with a soft touich from either hand.

Muskegon Heights in 2009 had terrific guards and wing athletes. Holding it down inside and doing all of the blue-collar post work was 6-6 senior Julian Plummer. At U-M’s elite camp, I was impressed with Plummer’s overall skill and athleticism.

Nail, meet head.  Hug it out guys.  Julian Plummer reminds one of the newly re-Pistoned Ben Wallace, and if I was creating a team from scratch out of the top players in West Michigan, he would be right up there.  Great utility, clean-up player, and a perfect fit for really anyone.

Anyone who saw 6-6 Holland senior Josh Weatherspoon play against the state’s no. 2 power forward, Colin Voss, either in the high school or AAU seasons, know how good he is. Not a great athlete, but big and strong and productive, like Justin Keenan (Ferris State/Ottawa Hills).

He’s lacking a couple teeth after a run-in with the Hurricanes over the summer (don’t let him fool you), but Weatherspoon is a big-bodied bruiser inside, and after a productive summer with the West Michigan Lakers he’s primed to have a great senior year.  Probably too short for D-1, but then again they said that Chuck Barkley too.

(Oh, and Appling’s Mustangs were the state’s best AAU team, but I’ll grant that the margin was small.)

So what do you think?  Let me know in the comments.

Keep up with the latest action and analysis by becoming a WMAS fan on Facebook, or join the conversation by following WMAS on Twitter.  Heck, even start your own topic over at Allstars Among Us.