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.
Bates Becomes 1st Sophomore POY
April 15, 2020
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
Ypsilanti Lincoln standout Emoni Bates has been named Gatorade’s national boys basketball “Player of the Year” – becoming the first sophomore to win the national award.
Bates earlier was named the Michigan award winner for the second time. The award recognizes athletic excellence but also academic achievement and on and off-court exemplary character.
The 6-foot-9 do-everything player capably is able to man all five positions on the court, and this season averaged 33.1 points, 9.1 rebounds, 2.9 assists and 2.3 steals per game while leading Lincoln to an 18-3 record before play was halted because of COVID-19. Bates has scored 1,343 points through his first two seasons of high school basketball.
Additionally, Bates carries a B average and has volunteered in local elementary school literacy campaigns and as a youth coach, as well as participating in clothing and shoe drives for community churches.
PHOTO: Ypsilanti Lincoln’s Emoni Bates dunks during the 2019 Division 1 Semifinals at Breslin Center.