Photos by Sherry Yang
Pepperdine Men’s and Women’s Basketball took center court Friday night with the annual Blue and Orange Madness showcase to kick off Waves Weekend.
From high-flying dunks to half court heaves, coronation of kings and queens and dancers grooving the night away, Firestone Fieldhouse was filled with lots of blue, orange and Pepperdine spirit.
But Pepperdine’s basketball teams weren’t the only ones getting introduced; A new and improved Willie the Wave made a surprise introduction.
New Willie the Wave though pic.twitter.com/UABGC9gu6E
— Arthur Puu (@arthurpuu) October 14, 2017
Say hello to the new and improved Willie the Wave! #WavesUp #BOM pic.twitter.com/ytsI35sQ0o
— Pepperdine Athletics (@PepperdineWaves) October 14, 2017
The new Willie the Wave mascot was introduced midway through the night to much hype before sophomore forward Nolan Taylor and junior guard Sydney Bordonaro took the microphone to host the main events.
Two new events replaced the three-point shootout and scrimmage from the last few years: a shooting challenge and a dunk showcase that featured members of both basketball teams, including the two head coaches.
And then of course.. there’s always @_Kam20 doin’ what Kam does … #WavesUp pic.twitter.com/TkJtKR0MUb
— Pepperdine M. Hoops (@PeppBasketball) October 14, 2017
I see you @berhow_trae welcome to Malibu https://t.co/6BKaN8nrgU
— John Impelman (@jimpelman) October 14, 2017
Following the basketball showcase, the Pepperdine Step Team took center stage and wowed the crowd with a stunning performance.
The night wrapped up with the traditional “Cupid Shuffle,” as the crowd took the court and joined the teams in dancing.
Both teams open the 2017-18 season on the road on Friday, November 10. The men will take on Oklahoma State and the women will be in the South Bay taking on Long Beach State.
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Follow Arthur Puu on Twitter: @arthurpuu