COLLEGE BASKETBALL PREVIEWS : Fuller Going With Young Team as Pepperdine Tries to Rebound

Rebuilding begins again for Tony Fuller, Pepperdine’s second-year men’s basketball coach whose Waves will play host to Minas Tenis, a club team from Brazil, in an exhibition today at 3 p.m. at Firestone Fieldhouse.

Five players recruited by the previous coach, Tom Asbury, transferred during or after a dismal 8-19 1994-95 season, including former Notre Dame High guard Monte Marcaccini and former Ventura College and Santa Paula High guard Joey Ramirez.

More than one departing player cited communication problems with Fuller, who said at the time: “You never like a situation like this. You have to understand it and move on.”

One player who flourished amid the turmoil last season was guard Gerald Brown, an All-West Coast Conference selection who averaged 16.5 points, 4.5 rebounds and 2.7 assists. Brown (6 feet 3, 210 pounds) led the team in three-point shooting (37.1%) and steals (32) in addition to scoring average.

Brown, a junior, is joined in the backcourt by junior Khary Hervey and sophomore R.J. Powell, both reserves last season, and junior college transfer Marques Johnson.

The only returning player in the front court is 7-foot center Gavin Van Der Putten, the team’s only senior. Van Der Putten averaged 8.1 points and 5.3 rebounds last season, shooting 54.6% from the field.

After an exhibition at home against Son’s Blue Angels at 5 p.m. on Monday, Pepperdine will open the regular season on the road against South Florida on Nov. 25.