Suspension Doesn’t Slow Rolling Waves

Pepperdine appeared vulnerable after 6-foot-11 center omm’A Givens was suspended for the season two weeks ago, leaving the Waves with only eight players and no one taller than 6-7.

Instead of folding, though, Pepperdine has won four consecutive games and is the hottest team in the West Coast Conference entering the WCC tournament next weekend at Santa Clara.

Which begs the question: Are the Waves better without Givens?

“I don’t know if you can say that,” Coach Lorenzo Romar said. “We started to come together as a team before [Givens’] season ended and continued on without him. He was an integral part of our team. We miss him and we miss his scoring and defense.”

Romar said other players have stepped up, allowing Pepperdine to match its longest winning streak of the season and win seven of its last nine games.

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Second-place Pepperdine had three players selected to the all-conference team announced Monday, the most of any WCC team.

Senior guard Gerald Brown, senior forward Bryan Hill and junior guard Jelani Gardner were among the 10 players chosen by conference coaches. Brown, who sat out last season, was honored for the third time and Hill was a repeat selection.

San Francisco senior forward Hakeem Ward, a former Ventura College standout, was a repeat pick.

Wave Notes

Pepperdine (17-9) will play San Diego (13-13) in the first round of the WCC tournament at 6 p.m. Saturday at Santa Clara. The Toreros are without senior point guard Alex Parker, who was suspended for the season last week for unspecified reasons.