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: 12/14/18
December 14, 2018
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
Each weekday of the school year, we break down the top headlines courtesy of Michigan’s sports media.
Another full weekend is upon us, with hoops, hockey and swim matchups kicking things off Thursday. But the two biggest headlines almost surely were coaching announcements you’ll find in the “Also of note” in this report.
1. Boys Swimming & Diving: Lower Peninsula Division 3 top-ranked Holland Christian continued to surge with a 107-79 win over LPD1 honorable mention Grand Haven – Holland Sentinel
2. Girls Basketball: Calumet delivered Ishpeming the latter’s first loss this season, 42-38 – The Upbeat
3. Boys Basketball: Beaverton picked up a solid win over Jack Pine Conference contender Clare, 56-46 – Midland Daily News
4. Boys Basketball: Brooklyn Columbia Central held off Hillsdale 43-38 – Hillsdale Daily News
5. Boys Basketball: Dollar Bay edged Ontonagon 56-55 to bounce back from its first loss this winter – The Upbeat
6. Boys Basketball: Carney-Nadeau improved to 4-0 with a 61-43 win over Powers North Central – The Upbeat
7. Boys Basketball: Coleman improved to 3-1 with a 68-67 win over Breckenridge – Midland Daily News
8. Hockey: Jack Luer scored six goals as Bloomfield Hills downed Royal Oak – Oakland Press
9. Girls Basketball: Grand Haven improved to 4-0 with a 52-36 win over Muskegon Mona Shores – Grand Haven Tribune
10. Girls Basketball: Maple City Glen Lake downed Frankfort 53-35 in part by making 21 free throws – Traverse City Record-Eagle
Also of note …
Football: Longtime Grand Ledge coach Matt Bird has taken the same job leading Muskegon Reeths-Puffer – Lansing State Journal
Hockey: Longtime coach Andy Weidenbach announced this will be his final season guiding the Cranes, who he’s led to 10 MHSAA championships – Observer & Eccentric