Petie Gibson is known to avid Lobo basketball fans for his last-second shot that beat the Aggie, 71-70, in 1970. But today his accolades come from the community he’s served for 28 years-LaMesa Elementary School.

Petie Gibson is known to avid Lobo basketball fans for his last-second shot that beat the Aggie, 71-70, in 1970. But today his accolades come from the community he’s served for 28 years-LaMesa Elementary School.

Petie has been involved mentoring elementary, middle and high school students, always with high expectations. He’s gone beyond teaching. He’s a role model, says LaMesa Principal Barbra Trujillo. It involves driving residents to church and coordinating an elementary basketball league.

Gibons’s basketball prowess started at Pittsburgh’s Schenley High, where he gained fame as an All-City, All-State assists leader, and got the attention of UNM’s Bob King.

King quickly recognized Gibson’s talents and named him Lobo point guard. Result-Gibson wound up among UNM’s all-time Top 10 assists leaders. He’s #4 in UNM’s all-time assist leader (560), and leads all Lobos in most assists in a WAC season (122), assist average per game (7.6), assist career per game (7.2) and holds three of the top eight marks in single season assists.

Gibson was named to the 2nd team All-America for college players under six feet (5’8 in his stocking feet) and voted MVP honors in the 1970 Lobo Invitational.

UNM has recognized Gibson’s leadership in his community and given him the Zia Award as one of the school’s outstanding alumni. Petie and wife, Sylvia, are the parents of 10-year-old daughter, Sharese.