Stewart answering call from Bayno, teammates

Opportunity has knocked many times before. Donovan Stewart admits he has not always answered.

Despite being UNLV's starting small forward and backup point guard, he averages barely 15 minutes and usually is the first starter yanked. He even lost his starting job for a couple of games last month.

But Saturday night against San Diego State, Stewart keyed an 83-55 victory with a performance that boosted everyone's confidence in him -- including his own -- just when the Mountain West season is starting to require healthy egos.

Stewart entered the game with a 3.9-point average and hadn't scored more than nine points all season, but exploded for 17 as the Rebels routed the Aztecs and climbed to 3-1 in the MWC. He fell two points shy of a career high, but registered career bests in fields goals (eight) and assists (five) and season highs in minutes (28) and rebounds (five).

It was a feel-good win for the Rebels, to be sure, but a feel-great game for Stewart, who has played two straight good ones. In last Monday's win at New Mexico, he scored eight points and grabbed a couple of vital rebounds in the waning minutes.

On Saturday night, there was no need for Bayno to sit Stewart, except when he needed rest. He made his first two shots and had the Rebels' first four points. He added back-to-back jumpers that pushed UNLV ahead 17-8, then scored five points in a 7-0 spurt to start the second half, including a 3-pointer to ignite it.

Hitting his early shots was the key, Stewart said. He was open mainly because San Diego State didn't bother guarding him, choosing to aim its tight zone defense toward UNLV center Kaspars Kambala. Opportunity was knocking for Stewart yet again.

"At the beginning, everything seemed open to me. The lane was open and I was just driving," Stewart said. "Hitting those first couple of shots definitely helped me a lot."

Stewart seemed to relax, with his shot becoming more fluid, and the rest of his game followed suit. When the fear of getting yanked subsides, he plays more like he belongs as a starter.

"The weakest part of my game, probably, is the mental part," Stewart said. "I'm so hard on myself. If I miss anything, my head is down, so having a good start is very important for me. That makes me relax."

Coach Bill Bayno said Stewart's game has improved because he's not obsessing over mistakes or worrying about his role.

"Donovan is not worried about tomorrow. He is just taking care of business today and I am so proud of him," Bayno said. "He's playing so much more loose, so much more relaxed."

Bayno pointed to Stewart's triple to begin the second half as an example of his calmness. The play was supposed to go to Kambala in the post, but Stewart exploited an opportunity.

"They were playing seven feet off of him, so he stepped up and made a big shot. That set the tone for us," Bayno said.

Stewart's teammates seemed happier for him than he was for himself. The Rebels' bench exploded with every basket he made.

"I couldn't be happier for anyone in the world than Donovan," point guard Mark Dickel said. "He works as hard as anyone, and he just came in and played. When he does that he's a really good player. He was just playing. You can't worry if you miss a shot. Just keep on playing."

Bayno said, "The guys were really happy for him on the bench, and I was the happiest of all. (Stewart) has been a Rebel through and through. He has stuck with me and he is turning into a tremendous player for us."

The Rebels' third straight victory boosted them to 12-4 and left them only a half-game behind Utah (3-0) in the MWC. They return to action Saturday at Colorado State (at noon), then visit Wyoming next Monday (6 p.m.).

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