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: 1/23/18

January 23, 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. Girls Basketball: Grand Rapids Catholic Central lone senior Abigail Tepper saw her final season end almost as it began with a knee injury in her team’s opening game. But she’s contributing in other ways for the first-place Cougars after some substantial health discoveries along the way – FOX17

2. Boys Basketball: Suttons Bay handed Bear Lake its first loss of this season, 72-63 – Traverse City Record-Eagle

3. Girls Basketball: Chassell continued its impressive start, moving to 11-1 with an 80-58 win over Calumet – Houghton Daily Mining Gazette

4. Coaches: Brown City volleyball coach Jenna Welke talks of making the adjustment from player to coach in the latest of Port Huron Times Herald guest columns from local sports personalities – Port Huron Times Herald

5. Girls Basketball: Alliance League leader Fruitport Calvary Christian added a nonleague victory, 61-30 over North Muskegon – Grand Haven Tribune

6. Girls Basketball: Coldwater picked up another key win in the competitive Interstate 8 Athletic Conference, 45-27 over Battle Creek Harper Creek – Coldwater Daily Reporter

7. Boys Basketball: Hillsdale scored the game’s first 11 points on the way to a 55-35 win over Jonesville – Hillsdale Daily News

8. Girls Basketball: Detroit Osborn pushed nearer to .500 with a 59-31 win over Detroit Denby – Detroit News

9. Boys Basketball: Scottville Mason County Central moved to 8-2 with a tight 47-43 win over Manistee – Local Sports Journal

10. Football: Former Lapeer East standout and coach Jake Weingartz has been hired to run Davison’s program – ABC12