Linked Up: 12/19/11

December 20, 2011

We've hit a bit of a slow spot with schools out for break and most contests reserved for holiday showcases and the like.

Here are some suggestions if you have some time for some reading between now and the start of 2012.

High school coaches try to bring basketball back to basics (Detroit News)

For most of the last decade, we've heard about the recessing of basketball fundamentals even among elite high school players. Enter Ben Kelso, Marshall Thomas and a number of other Michigan coaches who have pledged to end that trend. Tom Markowski tells us how the Metro Detroit Basketball Coaches Association aims to do so.

Lantzy retires after more than 4 decades as Ike grid coach (Macomb County Advisor & Source)

Utica-Eisenhower coach Bob Lantzy has been his school's only varsity football coach. He took four teams to MHSAA Finals and this fall became one of only nine state football coaches to win more than 900 games. He has retired after 41 seasons, and Kevin Lozon fills us in on the legacy.

Tabahn Afrik poised for greatness in pool for West Ottawa (Holland Sentinel)

The Holland area has its next big swimming star. Dan D'Addona introduces us to Tabahn Afrik, a freshman at Holland West Ottawa who qualified for the MHSAA Division 1 Finals in two events in his first meet this season.

High school basketball: History of class hoops is just that (South Bend Tribune)

"Hoosiers" made Indiana's former one-class basketball tournament known on a grander scale. But Indiana went to classes (similar to Michigan's) beginning in 1997-98. Al Lesar tells us how some in the state are attempting to revert to one class.

Today in the MHSAA: 2/15/19

February 15, 2019

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

The final three wrestling Regional champions were awarded Thursday, with a massive comeback topping today’s list that also includes a number of girls and boys basketball title-clinching wins.

1. Wrestling: No. 8 Alma came back from a 33-6 deficit to defeat No. 10 Lake Odessa Lakewood 39-34 for a Division 3 District title – Mount Pleasant Morning Sun

2. Girls Basketball: Midland Dow clinched the Saginaw Valley League North title with a 59-32 win over Bay City Western – Midland Daily News

3. Girls Basketball: Ann Arbor Pioneer downed Monroe 53-44 to clinch the Southeastern Conference Red title, its first league championship since 2000 – We Love Ann Arbor

4. Wrestling: Onaway downed Iron Mountain and Ishpeming Westwood to repeat as a Division 4 Regional champion – MI Sports Now

5. Wrestling: No. 7 Niles downed Edwardsburg and Battle Creek Harper Creek to win its fifth Division 2 Regional title in seven seasons – South Bend Tribune

6. Girls Basketball: Essexville Garber downed Millington 64-36 to claim its first outright league title in this sport – Bay City Times

7. Boys Basketball: Ann Arbor Pioneer clinched the Southeastern Conference Red title with a big win over Monroe – We Love Ann Arbor

8. Girls Basketball: Chelsea clinched the outright Southeastern Conference White championship with a 34-29 win over Dexter – Sun Times News

9. Girls Basketball: Morrice downed Burton Bentley 60-14 and has wrapped up its first outright league title since 1998 – Owosso Argus-Press

10. Boys Basketball: Ellsworth clinched a share of the Northern Lakes Conference title with a big win over Alba – Traverse City Record-Eagle

Also of note …

Football: Remus Chippewa Hills coach Larry Jose stepped down after 21 seasons and with a 131-86 record – MI Sports Now

Girls Basketball: Claycee West scored 31 points in a win over Eau Claire to go over 1,000 for her White Pigeon career – JoeInsider.com

Wrestling: From Wednesday, Schoolcraft downed White Pigeon in Division 3 to win its first Regional title – WWMT

Boys Basketball: From Wednesday, Rudyard clinched a share of the Straits Area Conference title with a 75-51 win over St. Ignace – Sault Ste. Marie Evening News

Bowling: The Central Montcalm girls have won their third straight Central State Activities Association title – Greenville Daily News