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With two University of New Mexico players gone since the Steve Alford era began in March, J.R. Giddens said he won't be the third.

Seldom-used forward Sean Imadiyi has left the team for personal reasons, Alford announced at Tuesday night's practice, but Giddens is still eligible and practicing with the team despite recent reports of academic problems.

Not that Giddens' scholastic world is completely safe.

The UNM guard is taking an intercession course between the spring and summer semesters that might prevent him from making the trip with the team to the Bahamas on May 25-June 1. The Lobos are playing Bahamian club teams in a tournament in Nassau.

Alford said it's his decision whether Giddens - known as the most talented but troubled Lobo - will travel with the team. Alford said the intercession work will help the senior-to-be stay on track to graduate next year, which takes precedence over a Bahamas trip.

Giddens, who missed a combined six games to injuries and disciplinary action last season, has worked hard over the last five weeks to stay on pace academically, Alford said.

"That's the reason you go to school, right? To get your degree," said Giddens, who led the team with 15.8 points per game last season. "This is important to me."

When asked if he wants to go on the Bahamas trip, Giddens said "Yeah, but I want to graduate. I want to get my paper."

Giddens is one of four seniors on the current roster, though two younger players have left the team since Alford was introduced in Albuquerque on March 23.

First, it was 6-foot-11 center Derek Oestreicher, who has signed with former Lobos coach Ritchie McKay at Liberty after redshirting his freshman year at UNM. He left the team in April.

The 6-7 Sean Imadiyi, a Phoenix-area product out of Corona Del Sol High School, played just 63 minutes in his Lobos career. He averaged 1.1 points and 0.6 rebounds per game in 14 games as a freshman.

Neither playing time nor disciplinary action prompted Imadiyi's departure, Alford said.

The Tribune left a message on Imadiyi's cell phone Tuesday night that wasn't returned.

The recent losses have depleted an already-small front line, although help is coming.

Junior-to-be Daniel Faris, at 6-9, is the only current roster player above 6-6. Faris' backup is 6-5 walk-on Blake Harden.

Junior college big men Monquel Pegues (6-10, 256 pounds) and Johnnie Harris (6-8, 250) should help clog the paint come November.

The Lobos have nine players currently on the roster, which forces assistant Ryan Miller to scrimmage with the team.

Whatever the number of bodies headed to Nassau, Alford's focus is on building team unity.

"We're not worried about the wins and losses (on this trip) as much as we're worried about chemistry," Alford said. "This is a bonding trip."

Recruiting: Six-foot-5 guard Jonathan Wills said he's excited about what he's seen of UNM so far.

The Mayfair (Calif.) High School product was in the Rudy Davalos Practice Facility on Tuesday as part of his official visit. The Lobos have offered Wills a scholarship.

"I'm not going to lie, it's been a great time so far," said Wills, who arrived Monday. "Now it's just a matter of sitting down with my parents and making a decision."

Wills, rated as a two-star recruit by Scout.com, will decide between UNM and Portland State.

Assistant: Alford said he likely won't hire an assistant to replace Billy Garrett until after the Bahamas trip.

Alford didn't mention any candidates after Tuesday night's practice that featured two assistants - associate head coach Craig Neal and Miller. Basketball operations director Silvey Dominguez also was on the floor with the team.

UNM announced last week that Garrett was leaving the program because of his son's medical illness that worsened in the Albuquerque altitude.

Lobos sighting: Former UNM standouts Mark Walters and David Chiotti were watching Tuesday's practice before breaking into one-on-one action after the team left.

Chiotti played professionally last season in Austria, Walters in Hungary.

Summer camp: Alford's Lobos Boys Basketball Camp kicks off June 27-30 at one of three UNM campus sites - The Pit, the Rudy Davalos Basketball Center and the Johnson Center.

Registration is $140 for a four-day skills camp in one of two time slots - 9 a.m. to noon for grades 1-6, 1 to 4 p.m. for grades 7-12.