Players

Lupe Rios

Year Inducted: 1989

Category: Players

Schools / Organizations:
DePue High School
Western Illinois University

Biography: Lupe Rios played at DePue High School from 1948-52 under Hall of Fame Coach Gaston Freeman.  It was one of the strongest small school programs in Illinois.  DePue played agains many schools which today would be classified as 3A or 4A.  In 1951 the Little Giants went 27-4 and in 1952 went 29-3.  They won IHSA Regionals in both seasons while playing in the one class system.  Rios played in every game that DePue played during his four years.  He scored 12 + points in 50 games.  He was in double figures 56 times.  Lupe was a 4-year starter at Western Illinois University.  His Leatherneck teams finsihed 2nd, 3rd, and 4th in the NAIA Tournament in Kansas City from 1954-56.  His forte was ballhandling, with a focus on passing.  Although the stats for those teams are incomplete, it is believed that Lupe set the all time assist mark for the program.  Those teams were among the highest scoring teams in the nation.  The 1955-56 team scored 100+ poins on 1- occasions, scoring a high of 129 points in two games.  Many of the passes that led to those points came from Lupe Rios.  His skill level was considered far ahead of his time.