Friends of Basketball

Grayal Gilkey

Year Inducted: 1995

Category: Friends of Basketball

Schools / Organizations: West Aurora High School
The University of Colorado/Aurora College
East Aurora High School/Waubonsie Community College

Biography:

Grayal Gilkey started a 40-year love affair with Illinois basketball as a player at West Aurora High School.  Gilkey lettered three seasons and helped lead the 1958 team to a fourth place finish in the state tournament.  Gilkey completed his playing days at the University of Colorado and Aurora College (now Aurora University).

Gilkey coached sophomore basketball or junior varsity for eight seasons at East Aurora under Lee Witt and Ernie Kivisto.  Gilkey was assistant basketball coach at Waubonsie Community College for 14 seasons.  For the past 23 years, he has either directed or assisted with Dick Motta, Doug Collins, Badger-Sloan or Jerry Sloan basketball camps.  Gilkey has been color commentator for East Aurora basketball games for nine years on station WKKD with play-by-play man Bob Locke.  Beginning in 1986, Gilkey scouted college basketball teams for Bertka Views, a West Coast scouting service.  At the time of his induction, Gilkey had officiated high school basketball for nine years, high school volleyball nine years and high school softball one year.  He coached baseball 27 years and football seven years at East Aurora.  Gilkey had the distinction of having his son Garan follow his footsteps by playing with East Aurora in the 1988 state tournament.  Grayal Gilkey is a friend of basketball in the truest sense.