Waves Are About to Enter the Fast Lane
Cut loose the reins and let ‘em run. Nothing endears players to a new coach more quickly than cranking up the tempo.
Jan van Breda Kolff, 47, knows he was hired at Pepperdine to win games, not popularity contests. But pressure defense and fast-break offense are what he knows best.
“I want these players to feel the freedom to increase the pace,” said Van Breda Kolff, the coach at Vanderbilt the last six seasons. “When you are pressing and running up and down the court, your body is flowing. You are creating opportunities and exposing opponents’ weaknesses.”
The roster Van Breda Kolff inherited from Lorenzo Romar, who left after three seasons to become coach at Saint Louis, is a good fit for the new style.
“I think these guys are athletic and well-suited to an up-tempo game,” Van Breda Kolff said.
The Waves are willing as well.
“Running and pressing is fun,” said Kelvin Gibbs, the leading scorer and rebounder among returners. “With us forcing teams to play a fast-paced game, we’ll get layups, dunks and three-pointers. With our new coach, we are allowed to take the first good shot we see. Last year we were tentative and afraid to make a mistake.”
Romar improved the program, last season leading the Waves to a 19-13 record and the National Invitation Tournament, their first postseason appearance since 1994. Pepperdine lost to Colorado in the first round.
Four starters return. Gone is Jelani Gardner, an all-West Coast Conference senior guard who led the team in scoring, assists, steals and ill-advised shots in the waning moments of close games. Gardner also had a whopping 105 turnovers.
“My primary focus is on creating a team concept,” Van Breda Kolff said.
A rotation of 10 or 11 players will keep legs fresh and spread the scoring. Gibbs, who averaged 11 points and 7.3 rebounds, is one of many offensive options.
Van Breda Kolff likes Sheppard, a disappointment last season after transferring from Louisiana State, and Cedric Suitt, a 6-foot-10 sophomore who played only 58 minutes.
“Nick can really score, he’s a skilled player,” Van Breda Kolff said. “Cedric is a defensive-oriented player who can block shots.”
Forward is a strength. Gibbs, second in the WCC in rebounding, and Tommie Prince, a senior who was the WCC defensive player of the year, are returning starters. Dan Lalazarian, a 6-7 junior, is a key reserve.
Pepperdine, last in the WCC in three-point shooting and free-throw shooting last season, sorely needs a long-range shooting threat. Van Breda Kolff believes that Craig Lewis and Brandon Armstrong--roommates and best friends--will deliver.
Lewis is a sophomore who played only 80 minutes last season. Armstrong was a partial qualifier who had to sit out his first season.
“Lewis is a pure shooter with NBA three-point range,” Van Breda Kolff said. “Armstrong is our most athletic player. He can light up a scoreboard quickly.”
Tezale Archie, a senior and the only remaining player recruited by Romar’s predecessor, Tony Fuller, is the point guard. Archie started 12 games last season and averaged four points and 2.8 assists.
Others in the rotation will be senior guard Robert Fomby, junior forward Greg Berry and freshman forward Boomer Brazzle. Berry, a transfer from L.A. City College, and Brazzle, who like Armstrong is from Benson Tech High in Portland, Ore., were recruited by Van Breda Kolff after he took over in April.
The end at Vanderbilt was difficult for Van Breda Kolff, who is an alumnus and hoped to elevate the program to a national power. Instead, he resigned under pressure after enduring disappointments that included failing to get prize recruits such as Ron Mercer to qualify under Vanderbilt’s rigorous academic standards.
Vanderbilt was 104-81 and made an NCAA tournament appearance in 1997 and three NIT appearances under Van Breda Kolff, son of former Laker Coach Butch van Breda Kolff and a former NBA player.
Although his salary is less than half the $300,000 he made at Vanderbilt, he is happy to get a fresh start.
“I’m not thinking about anything more than tomorrow’s practice,” he said. “This is a chance to make an impact.”
(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX / INFOGRAPHIC)
PEPPERDINE WAVES AT A GLANCE
Date Opponent, Time
Nov. 20 LONG BEACH STATE, 2 p.m.
Nov. 23 at Fresno State, 7 p.m.
Nov. 27 $UNC CHARLOTTE, 5 p.m.
Nov. 28 $COLO. ST. or ST. BONA., 2:30/5 p.m.
Dec. 2 at Kansas, 5 p.m.
Dec. 4 at Wichita State, 5:30 p.m.
Dec. 7 CAL STATE FULLERTON, 7 p.m.
Dec. 11 at UC Santa Barbara, 7 p.m.
Dec. 20 #Detroit, 8 a.m.
Dec. 21 #DMiami or SW La., 8 a.m./12:30 p.m.
Dec. 22 #at San Juan Shootout TBA
Dec. 28 at UCLA, 7:30 p.m.
Dec. 30 at Pacific, 7 p.m.
Jan. 3 LEHIGH, 7 p.m.
Jan. 8 at Northwestern, 11 a.m.
Jan. 14 *ST. MARY’S, 7 p.m.
Jan. 15 *SAN DIEGO, 4 p.m.
Jan. 21 *at Santa Clara, 7:30 p.m.
Jan. 22 *at San Francisco, 7 p.m.
Jan. 28 *SAN FRANCISCO, 7 p.m.
Jan. 29 *SANTA CLARA, 5 p.m.
Feb. 3 *at Gonzaga, 7 p.m.
Feb. 5 *at Portland, 7 p.m.
Feb. 11 *PORTLAND, 7 p.m.
Feb. 12 *GONZAGA, 5 p.m.
Feb. 16 *LOYOLA MARYMOUNT, 7:30 p.m.
Feb. 19 *Loyola Marymount, 7:30 p.m.
Feb. 24 *at San Diego, 7 p.m.
Feb. 26 *at St. Mary’s, 7:30 p.m.
Mar. 4 WCC at Santa Clara, Noon/2/6/8 p.m.
Mar. 5 WCC Tournament, 5:30/7:30 p.m.
Mar. 6 WCC Tournament, 9 p.m.
$Sparkletts Invitational at Pepperdine; #San Juan shootout;*West Coast Conference game
ROSTER
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No. Player Pos. Ht. Wt. Year 1 Derrick Anderson G 6-5 210 Sr. 3 Brandon Armstrong G 6-4 180 So. 5 Randy Roy F 6-4 180 Jr. 11 Craig Lewis G 6-3 185 So. 12 Tezale Archie G 6-1 170 Sr. 15 Elan Buller G 6-0 170 Jr. 20 Robert Fomby G 6-1 180 Sr. 21 Greg Berry F 6-6 180 Jr. 23 Tommie Prince G 6-5 215 Sr. 25 Al Minahan G 6-1 190 Jr. 32 Kelvin Gibbs F 6-6 255 Jr. 34 Boomer Brazzle F 6-5 210 Fr. 42 Dustin Johnson F 6-7 210 Fr. 0 David Lalazarian F 6-7 205 Jr. 52 Nick Sheppard C 6-11 255 Sr. 55 Cedric Suitt C 6-10 225 So.
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