Busting Brackets
Fansided

Pepperdine Basketball: 2019-20 season preview for the Waves

By Jake Verboven

SPOKANE, WA - FEBRUARY 21: Head coach Lorenzo Romar of the Pepperdine Waves huddles with his players during a timeout in the first half against the Gonzaga Bulldogs at McCarthey Athletic Center on February 21, 2019 in Spokane, Washington. (Photo by William Mancebo/Getty Images)
SPOKANE, WA - FEBRUARY 21: Head coach Lorenzo Romar of the Pepperdine Waves huddles with his players during a timeout in the first half against the Gonzaga Bulldogs at McCarthey Athletic Center on February 21, 2019 in Spokane, Washington. (Photo by William Mancebo/Getty Images) /
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LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – MARCH 11: Josh Perkins #13 of the Gonzaga Bulldogs drives against Colbey Ross #4 of the Pepperdine Waves during a semifinal game of the West Coast Conference basketball tournament at the Orleans Arena on March 11, 2019 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Bulldogs defeated the Waves 100-74. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – MARCH 11: Josh Perkins #13 of the Gonzaga Bulldogs drives against Colbey Ross #4 of the Pepperdine Waves during a semifinal game of the West Coast Conference basketball tournament at the Orleans Arena on March 11, 2019 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Bulldogs defeated the Waves 100-74. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images) /

Starting Lineup

Colbey Ross (Jr.) Last Season: 19.4 PPG, 7 APG, 2.9 RPG, 39.6% 3PT

Colbey Ross is special. There really is no other way to put it. The 6’1” guard does everything that you would want in a starting point guard and then some. Ross led the team in both points and assists last season while being the main focus of every team the Waves came across last season. The Pepperdine point guard has one of the smoothest games in the nation and is ready to present that on a national stage this year. With more talent surrounding him this season, the Junior should put up around the same stat line with even more efficient shooting numbers in 2020.

Jade’ Smith (Jr.) Last Season: 9.6 PPG, 1.7 APG, 5.9RPG, 36.1% 3PT

Jade’ Smith’s production will determine how far this Wave team will go this season. Jade’ took a backseat to senior guard Eric Cooper last year, but is ready to take a big leap this year. Standing at 6’4”, Smith has the good height for a mid-major 2 guard and has the explosiveness and athleticism to match up with the majority of shooting guards he will go up against. He is also an exceptional defender, leading the team in steals at 1.5 a game. His combination of athleticism, defense, and shooting should be a great compliment to Ross in the Wave backcourt.

Majok Deng (Fr.) : 3 Star SF, 6’5” 190 lbs

The small forward position is the one starting spot where I’m not sure where Romar will go, but I went with the highly touted, Majok Deng. Romar has a few options here. Either sliding Kameron Edwards up to the 3, going big with Kessler at the 4. Another option is to start the high flying, Andre Ball over Deng, adding even more size and athleticism to the Wave starting lineup. The younger cousin of former NBA player Luol Deng, Majok will make an impact for the Waves regardless of his role.

Kameron Edwards (Sr.) Last Season: 15.1 PPG, 1.0 APG, 6.6 RPG, 34.4% 3PT

Kameron Edwards may only stand at 6’6”, but his strong frame (230 lbs) provides him with the ability to play the 3,4, or small ball 5 for the Waves. Edwards has the ability to play inside with his impressive footwork and soft touch. He is also a reliable option to score facing up, as he often takes his bigger defenders to the rim, or beats them with an improving jumpshot. The Pepperdine version of a swiss army knife should once again be the second scoring option behind Ross.

Kessler Edwards (So.) Last Season: 9.8 PPG, 1.0 APG, 5.4 RPG, 37.0% 3PT

At 6’8” Kessler Edwards was able to connect on at least one 3 pointer in 28 out of 34 games. The ultimate stretch big of the WCC. As a freshman, Edwards exploded onto the scene, providing the Waves with an impressive combination of scoring and rebounding. Like his frontcourt mate, Kameron, Kessler has the ability to stretch the defense and finish in the paint with the bigs. What makes Kessler even more of problem for defenses is his handle. At his size he has ball handling that you would normally see from a guard. Edwards will be the breakout player of the West Coast Conference.