Four seniors were honored after a season-high crowd of 13,958 witnessed the Lobos take a 64-59 win over San Diego State on Saturday night. Two of the seniors are current players while the other two are not on the roster.
Still, each of them brought something special to the program in his own way.
Estevan Sandoval
Sandoval is a student manager for the men’s basketball team. He is pursuing a degree in marketing and operations, and is also an aspiring basketball coach.
Neal on Sandoval
“I couldn’t thank you enough for our players, my staff, for everything that you managers do. You’re really part of the team and part of the family. It will always be that way.”
Devon Williams
Williams ended his college basketball career as a forward last season after being diagnosed with spinal stenosis.
He took the microphone during Senior Night and began by saying how much he appreciated everyone who was present at WisePies Arena. As his voice started to break under emotion, the crowd cheered loudly in support.
Things got ever more emotional as he continued his speech saying, “I just wish I could play.” The crowd cheered even louder and he continued to thank God, his family, former teammates and coaching staff for the opportunity he was given.
Neal on Williams
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“I’m very proud of you, Devon. You could have gone south, you could’ve been depressed, you could have given up.... I want you to know how proud we are of what you’ve done to further your education and make somebody of yourself. That is something that no one will ever be able to take away from you.”
Obij Aget
Aget is a 7’1” center from Juba, South Sudan. He completed his Lobo career in style, reaching the 500 career rebound mark during Saturday’s game. He was originally signed for the 2012-13 season, but after tearing his ACL he did not enroll until 2013.
Due to the recent travel ban, which included Sudan, it was unclear whether or not Aget’s family would be able to attend his last game at WisePies Arena. Although they couldn’t make it to Albuquerque on Saturday, Aget did not stand alone, as the entire team stood by his side.
Aget began his speech by thanking his teammates and calling them his family.
“You have done so much for me that I can’t even talk now,” he said.
Neal on Aget
“You have gone through an unbelievable journey. What I’m really proud of is the young man he’s become with all the hurdles he’s had to jump, all the obstacles he’s had to go through. The most important thing is, not only what kind of player he became, but what kind of person he is.”
Tim Williams
Senior night was extra special for Williams as it also marked his return after sitting out the previous nine games to nurse injuries. The 6’8’' forward began his career at Samford, where he accumulated a total of 1,018 points in two seasons.
Williams had a solid shot at becoming the first Lobo to score 2,000 points in Division 1 basketball had he not missed time due to a concussion and a stress fracture in his foot.
Williams thanked several people in his speech but the highlight came when he talked about his family.
“I want to thank these two people right here,” he said as his voice started to break. “You stepped in when I was three years old and treated me like I was your own son. That meant a lot to me. I will never forget that.”
Neal on Williams
“We knew what kind player he was but we didn’t know how great a person was. Not only is he a tremendous player...Tim Williams is an amazing person. He always took care of his academics, he was very coachable. He’s got a bright, bright future.”
Isabel Gonzalez is a sports reporter for the Daily Lobo. She mainly covers men’s soccer and basketball. She can be reached at sports @dailylobo.com or on Twitter @cisabelg.
