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: 3/8/18

March 8, 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.

Today's Top 10

1. Hockey: No. 9 Livonia Churchill earned its first Semifinal trip in this sport with a 3-0 win over No. 6 Grosse Pointe Woods University Liggett in a Division 3 Quarterfinal – Observer & Eccentric

2. Hockey: Traverse City West earned a chance to reach its first MHSAA Hockey Final with a 1-0 Quarterfinal win over Holland West Ottawa in Division 1 – Traverse City Record-Eagle

3. Hockey: Eddie Symons scored both goals as No. 7 Saginaw Heritage advanced to the Division 1 Semifinals with a 2-1 win over Macomb Dakota – Saginaw News

4. Boys Basketball: Traverse City West upset Big North Conference champion Petoskey 50-47 in a Class A District Semifinal – Traverse City Record-Eagle

5. Boys Basketball: Maple City Glen Lake moved on in Class C with a 49-29 win over Manton, which made the Semifinals a year ago – Traverse City Record-Eagle

6. Hockey: Top-ranked Detroit Catholic Central shut out No. 5 Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook Kingswood 7-0 to advance in Division 1 – Observer & Eccentric

7. Boys Basketball: Reigning Class D champion Powers North Central lives on after a 78-72 double overtime win over Bark River-Harris in a District Semifinal – Escanaba Daily Press

8. Hockey: No. 4 Detroit Country Day moved on in Division 3 with a 3-2 overtime win over No. 8 Grand Rapids Catholic Central – No coverage available

9. Boys Basketball: Detroit U-D Jesuit came back from a halftime deficit to get past Hazel Park 57-48 in a Class A District Semifinal – Detroit News

10. Boys Basketball: Tariq Woody’s tip-in at the buzzer gave Novi a 60-58 win over Canton in a Class A District Semifinal – Observer & Eccentric

Also of note …

Boys Basketball: Calumet closed out a Class C District title with a 63-41 win over Houghton – Houghton Daily Mining Gazette

Hockey: Riverview Gabriel Richard held on for a 7-5 Division 3 Quarterfinal win over Chelsea – Southgate News Herald

Hockey: Division 3 top-ranked Hancock earned its trip to Finals weekend with a 5-1 Quarterfinal win over Big Rapids – Houghton Daily Mining Gazette

Hockey: Reigning Division 1 champion and current No. 3 Brighton will return to the Semifinals thanks a 7-0 win over Lowell/Caledonia – Livingston Daily Press & Argus

Boys Basketball: Clarkston downed Lake Orion 62-50 in Class A as Foster Loyer returned from a knee injury – Oakland Press

Boys Basketball: Grant Peterson’s basket with 6.5 seconds to play carried Battle Creek Pennfield past Parchment 50-48 in a Class B District Semifinal – Battle Creek Enquirer