Rarely does a team that loses 21 games and goes through a season of turmoil have a promising future, but that is the case for the Waves.

The Waves are a team loaded with talented freshmen, who weathered the unexpected resignation of their coach at midseason, and actually improved under interim coach Eric Bridgeland.

Now they head into next season knowing that their new head coach, Tom Asbury, has a history of success at Pepperdine, having led the Waves to three NCAA Tournament berths in his six seasons as the Waves coach from 1989 through 1994.

Bridgeland should get credit for keeping this team competitive in light of the coaching change and the departure of three key players immediately after Vance Walberg quit the job midway through his second season as coach.

But it is the potential of the players, particularly freshmen Tyrone Shelley and Malcolm Thomas, and the addition of Asbury that creates such optimism at Pepperdine.

The Waves were 6-12 overall and 0-2 in the conference following a blowout loss to Gonzaga when Walberg left.

They went 5-9 the rest of the way under Bridgeland, but won four of their last eight games, including a win in the first round of the WCC tournament even though Pepperdine was without its starting point guard, Rico Tucker.

The season ended with a lopsided loss to San Diego on the Toreros' homecourt, but the Waves played that game without their top two point guards, both of whom were injured.

Tucker, who tore his anterior cruciate ligament late in the season, should be back next season -- as will all the key players. That, and the addition of Asbury, could move the Waves into the top half of the WCC standings next season, although contending for the title may be too optimistic. Two years from now, the Waves should be a contender.

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