Jonathan Wills sat patiently on the bench Saturday against Air Force at The Pit.
And then, Dairese Gary got into foul trouble, and Nate Garth checked into the scorer's table but picked up two fouls after only 1:01. Seconds later, Steve Alford motioned for and handed the point-guard reins to Wills.
Giddy up.
Wills made the most of his minutes, logging eight points and six assists in a career-high 25 minutes of play. The sophomore came in averaging just 7.8 minutes per game.
Although Wills has tried out the position in practice, he has sporadically been used in the point position this season. On Saturday, however, Alford was forced to insert Wills as the hardwood general.
"He's a very versatile guard," Alford said. "He can play the one, the two, the three."
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Listed at 6-feet-6-inches, Wills could be used in Tony Danridge's swingman spot. In the swing position, coaches usually look for somebody with size who can score and get rebounds. Wills, in high school, averaged 20.8 points and nine rebounds per game.
What about shooting guard - the demanding two position?
Relying on speed and shrewdness - knowing when to pop, curl or flair back on screens - is fundamental when playing the position properly. Oh yeah, and a propensity to pull back and pick apart a defense with 3-pointers. After all, a shooting guard who can't shoot is like trying to make a purchase on a maxed-out credit card. And last year, Wills shot almost 40 percent from downtown.
Against the Falcons, he canned his only 3-point attempt of the night to finish with eight points. While that may not sound so gaudy, it alleviated some of the scoring responsibility from Gary and Garth, who combined for as many fouls as points - four.
"He was a key in the first half," Alford said. "I thought of all the guys that played in the first half, he was our biggest key."
And what about point guard?
Wills had a four-assists-to-one-turnover ratio (24-6) in MWC play in 2007-08. Saturday, Wills had six assists and zero turnovers - four of them were to Phillip McDonald during a 15-0 run by the Lobos.
"We're at our best when we're running," Wills said. "I just tried to push the ball up, get the ball in Phillip's hands, (Chad Toppert's) hands, Tony's."
In a hurry.
Of Wills' assists, most of them were bulleted quickly down court. Many of the sequences went like this: rebound, outlet, score. UNM ballooned its lead from 9-6 before Wills checked in at 14:46, to 24-6 3:09 later. Wills collected five of his six assists during that span.
"I'm starting to get him more minutes," Alford said. "He's been practicing very well. He did a great job running the point in the first half. He gets a chance to play and he keeps playing well. So, even when Dairese comes back, we left Jonathan out there. He was our most productive player."
McDonald, who pumped in 11 of his 15 points during that 15-0 blitz led by Wills, said Wills' eagerness to get up and down the court complemented his hot shooting.
"Jonathan did a good job finding me in transition," McDonald said. "He ran the point pretty good today. It helped me a lot, helped me get my wide-open shots. He gave me the ball when I needed it."
Wills didn't think twice about it, though.
"I feel comfortable anytime I'm on the court," he said. "The coaches do a good job of just telling me to stay ready."
And it showed. Wills looked relaxed, just not with the ball.
"When you're in The Pit, you have no choice but to get loose," Wills said. "If you're not loose, you're not going to play well."
