A pair of buzzer beating victories to end the season punctuated the Sul Ross Lobos’ determination during the 2006-07 men’s basketball campaign. (2006-07 Season Stats)

Under-manned and often outsized, Sul Ross finished the year 8-16 and 8-13 in league play. Due to injuries and roster changes, first year head coach Greg Wright had just eight uniformed players for the final seven games of the year.

His players responded with a 3-4 in those contests, including a Gallego Center win over ASC conference tournament runner-up Hardin-Simmons. In the final two games, Jermaine Packer scored with four seconds left to lift the Lobos to a 68-66 win over visiting TLU. Two days later, Anthony Miller connected with one tick left for a 67-65 win over Schreiner.

“Those wins defined the attitude of our players,” Wright said. Despite injuries and other obstacles, they refused to quit and played hard each game until the final buzzer.”

Sul Ross did not dominate the court as in past seasons, but posted a 7-5 record at the Gallego Center, their sixth straight winning season since the arena opened in 2001. Lobo teams have posted an impressive 62-12 won-lost record in that span.

Using a deliberate offense and a tenacious defense, Wright’s team yielded 66 points or less in all of two wins, including a season-low 49 in the 53-49 triumph over Hardin-Simmons.

Two seniors will be missed: point guard Cornell Hunt, who supplied 49 assists and 29 steals and forward Anthony Mata who averaged 7.9 points per game. Leading scorers Art Gonzalez and Travis Johnson will return. Gonzalez netted 12 points per game and was among the ASC leaders in three-point field goal percentage (.371) and free throw accuracy (.805). Johnson averaged 11.2 points per game before missing the final seven games with an injury.

Inside players Jermaine Packer (7.5 points, 3.9 rebounds in 12 games); Filiberto Torres (6.5 ppg, 4.7 rpg); Jesus Banuelos (5 ppg,, 3.1 rpg); and Abe Ely (5.0 ppg, 2.0 rpg) all return along with Miller, who led the team with 66 assists and 43 steals.

“We grew together, learned a different style of play and gained cohesiveness as the season progressed,” said Wright. “This nucleus will provide a solid base for the growth of the pr