When Bremerton West went on hiatus, team General Manager Matt Sargent knew that their was a good chance that some of the core players - those who had been around since Day One - would likely not end their playing days in a Westie uniform.
"There was the feeling that, yes, some players may move on. You know, we've got some recruits in the pipeline. the DeBaun brothers, Drake and Knox, are still very much in the mix for our future. We already have a signed letter of intent from Connor Roth. So I think we're getting our future taken care of, but, yes ... the product on the court now, we needed to bring in some fresh blood," Sargent said recently at a team shooting session.
Among the defectors was star F Dave Plous, now playing in Roeland Park for Team Johnny Chimpo's. He says the split from Bremerton was amicable. "I still went to Sargeque IV, and Sarge and his wife were over a few weeks ago to watch hoops."
Team Johnny Chimpo's has also sported former B. West standout Rian Tilgner in recent seasons, and a defector from the team known formerly as Money Shots, Dusenberry.
Chad Cillessen, the workhorse, re-signed with Bremerton West only after a long holdout and special considerations were written into his contract. Among the rumored perks are built-in days off for flight lessons, and a realty deal on a condo in Overland Park. Cillessen, who is planning to marry this year, declined comment for this article.
"Chad was important in the respect that he is a known commodity that we lack otherwise. No one else on our roster plays as hard as Chipper, while at the same time receiving the least accolades for those efforts," Sargent added.
In the open market, Sargent turned to Jason Briley, a South alum with size and ball-handling skill that few can match up with head-to-head. "We're excited, and think that he's a good fit for the team," Assistant GM Nick Reddell said at the time of the signing.
Along with Plous, other key free agent losses were F/C Steve Kullberg (retirement) and G/F Chris Cool. Cool, however, remains on the team roster as a non-active player for the time being. "Basically, the rec league version of the practice squad. We did it for the financial reasoning, obviously," Reddell noted.
In Kullberg's place, West re-signed F Brad Hill, a post player who can stretch defenses with the range on his jump shot. "Chubbs," as he is known to the fans, announced his comeback via Twitter. He is slated to make his season debut on March 29th.
In the end, Plous knows that sooner or later, he'd like to be back in the green and gold of Bremerton West. "Yeah, I could see it happening. This season, you know, Chimpo's plays on Mondays, so it's a conflict with scheduling. But being one of the founding members, it's a special organization. I'd play again under the right circumstances. I never say never, 'cause never is a long time."
(No animals were harmed during the creation of this article.)
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