![](/sites/default/files/imported/Photos/161019_Wilburn_2H.jpg)
River Rouge Star Wilburn Remembered
By
John Johnson
MHSAA Communications Director emeritus
October 19, 2016
One of the captains from the legendary boys basketball teams of the early 1960s at River Rouge passed away earlier this month.
Ken Wilburn, 72, a forward on the 1961 and 1962 teams that were part of a since-unequaled streak in Michigan high school basketball – five consecutive MHSAA championships – accomplished what was thought to be the first triple-double in Finals history in the 1962 Class B championship game against East Grand Rapids.
Wilburn scored 26 points – 13 in the third period – to go with 15 rebounds and 11 steals in a 69-39 win, a game Coach Lofton Greene said “was his best ever.”
Wilburn would go on to lead Central State University (Ohio) to a 30-0 record and the NAIA national championship in 1965, when he was named the title game’s Most Valuable Player. He earned All-America honors and finished his career as the school’s scoring leader.
During a 13-year journeyman professional career, Wilburn played in the NBA, the ABA and in the Eastern Pennsylvania Basketball League/Eastern Basketball Association. He played on three championship teams in the EPBL/EBA and was a league MVP on two occasions.
PHOTOS: (Top) Ken Wilburn (25) poses with his teammates after the 1962 Class B championship game victory. (Middle) Wilburn works to gather a loose ball from an East Grand Rapids player.
State Champs! Michigan: Hangtime 2-10-23
February 10, 2023
Join Lorne Plant, TJ Kelley and Scott Burnstein for the sixth episode this season of STATE CHAMPS! Hangtime.
0:00 – Open
1:21 – Detroit Northwestern’s Cartier Woods passes away
3:07 - Grand Rapids West Catholic’s Gabe Aughdahl with rare tumor
4:33 – OLSM player eligibility update
6:40 – Game recaps
7:38 – Grand Rapids Northview drops game to East Grand Rapids
8:48 – North Farmington beats Muskegon
9:26 – South Lyon East vs Milford, Scott gives props to the Lakes Valley Conference
10:25 – Grand Rapids Christian took down Warren Michigan Collegiate in double OT
12:30 - BCAM Chalk Talk with Warren Lincoln Head Coach Wydell Henry
14:09 – The guy’s talk about the season Warren Lincoln is having
17:58 – TJ’s rankings! New number one, some move up, some move down
18:56 – Detroit Public School District playoffs start soon
20:24 – Scheduling games, benefits of 22 games
22:18 – Two showcases to check out this weekend
25:13 - Close