![](/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 2-3-23
February 3, 2023
Join Lorne Plant, TJ Kelley and Scott Burnstein for the fifth episode this season of STATE CHAMPS! Hangtime.
0:00 – Open
1:22 - Mr. Basketball talk
1:41 - TJ’s picks
3:49 - Scott’s picks
6:37 – Making it to the Breslin helps chances
7:25 – Parity in this year’s Mr. Basketball race
8:33 – Big time player matchups
9:52 – Recap of games previously on SC! Network
10:41 – Flint Carman-Ainsworth tops Detroit Loyola
11:53 – North Farmington is consistent
13:48 – BCAM Chalk Talk with Grand Blanc Head Coach Tory Jackson
16:41 – Biggest change since 2006, social media. Players from this era include David Kool, DeShawn Sims and Tory Jackson
19:21 – Scott gives insight on how to grind for that D-1 scholarship
21:42 – Big changes to TJ’s Top 20 Rankings
23:48 - Weekend Showcases
25:53 – TJ talks about Davion Goins from Cassopolis
26:52 – Scott talks about Dylan Grant from Warren Michigan Collegiate
27:11 – And Jayden Hardiman from Ferndale
28:18 – TJ talks about Wyatt Nausadis from T.C. St. Francis
29:03 – TJ on Warren Michigan Collegiate
29:45 - Close