Instant Dad

Victoria Sun

Thursday, Oct. 28, 1999 | 9:56 a.m.

A few nights each week at Bill Bayno's Spanish-style home, a brown-haired beauty eagerly awaits his arrival.

If you arrive at his house before he does, she'll probably greet you at the door with a big smile on her face and extend one of her little hands before saying, "Hi! I'm Alyssa, it's very nice to meet you."

But the female waiting for the UNLV basketball coach -- once voted the most eligible bachelor in Las Vegas -- isn't one of the women he's rumored to be dating.

It's 7-year-old Alyssa, one of two adorable little girls who has helped give Bayno some stability in his life.

Unbeknownst to all but his closest friends, Bayno has helped care for Alyssa for the past 3 1/2 years.

Alyssa is the daughter of Bayno's former girlfriend, Tiffany. Bayno started to develop a close relationship with Alyssa when he was dating her mother and when they stopped dating, that didn't change.

During the year and a half when the couple lived together, they also opened up their home to Alyssa's friend, Betty.

Bayno treats both girls like his own daughters. But now that Bayno and Tiffany are no longer a couple, Betty has returned home to her biological mother. He and Tiffany share parenting duties for Alyssa.

He says that being a father has opened up his eyes to a whole new world.

"It's great," Bayno said. "It's unbelievable.

"Even though I don't have any kids of my own, it's almost the same thing. I mean, they're just neat little girls.

"It's just a different experience. It's great to have two little kids look up to you and depend on you and rely on you. To spend time with them and share those moments, I know how parents feel now."

When Bayno finishes practice early or has a day off, Alyssa spends the night. He also maintains a relationship with Betty via the telephone and periodic visits.

On Wednesday night, Bayno, 38, came home with his good friend, Patrick Harrington.

After the coach was warmly greeted by Alyssa and his Cocker Spaniel, Dunn, he promptly headed for the kitchen to prepare her a meal of scrambled eggs, ham, onions and cheese.

"Believe it or not, I can cook," Bayno said.

While he was cooking, Bayno proudly asked Alyssa to name her favorite Rebels to which she replied between giggles, "Kaspars" (Kambala).

And when the talk turned to whether she thought any of the players were cute, Bayno said quickly, "Tell what happens to boys that try to be your boyfriend."

"Punch 'em," she answered.

"Yeah, punch 'em hard so they don't forget."

When Bayno was putting the finishing touches on dinner Alyssa crowded around him and asked, "Billy, how was work today?"

Bayno said with satisfaction, "Work today was easy, we had no practice."

Later that night, Bayno had a tougher time playing checkers with Alyssa and Patrick.

To reward him for cooking a delicious meal, Alyssa made Bayno a marker drawing that had a picture of a UNLV basketball player. It read: "I love Billy so much. You make my eyes sparekle a lot."

Bayno speaks of Alyssa and Betty as any father would, although both understand he is not their biological father.

"They know I'm their step-dad," Bayno said. "They call me Billy.

"I prefer that they call me Billy, just because it's more real because I'm not their father. I take them on trips. I took them to LA. I'm going to take them to Phoenix to go visit (NBA player) Danny Manning and his kids."

During the basketball season, Bayno will have more opportunities to see Betty when she comes to the games.

Alyssa, a second-grader at Roger Bryan Elementary School, says she loves playing basketball and roots for the Rebels.

Has Bayno taught her any skills?

"No. No. No. No," he said laughing. "She loves to play, but we don't play basketball.

"I'd probably rather her play golf or tennis. They're little ladies."

Since his arrival in Las Vegas four years ago, Bayno has been characterized as a partier and a ladies' man, although he said there have been only three women in his life.

Until last week, when he said taking his little girl to school made him late to a mandatory Mountain West Conference coaches meeting (for which Bayno was suspended one game), only his inner circle have known about his relationships with Alyssa and Betty.

"I'm not hiding it," Bayno said. "I'm proud of it, actually, but at the same time I didn't feel it was my responsibility to publicize it."

If Bayno has children of his own one day, he'll be a veteran dad, well-versed at checkers, shopping and helping the kids with their homework.

When that day will come, he isn't sure.

"I don't know, that's up to God," Bayno said. "I would hope so, but at the same time it's not something I worry about. I'm just happy to have Alyssa and Betty.

"I'm blessed to have them so I look at it as my gain. I don't look at them as a responsibility. I look at them as a gift from God."