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: 12/15/17

December 15, 2017

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. Boys Swimming & Diving: Holland Christian’s Skyler Cook-Weeks broke two of his program’s oldest records during his Lower Peninsula Division 3 top-ranked team’s dual meet win over LPD1 honorable mention Grand Haven – Holland Sentinel

2. Bowling: Battle Creek Pennfield’s boys and girls teams continued their local dominance with All-City championships – Battle Creek Enquirer

3. Girls Basketball: Romeo took a big step with a 44-33 win over annual power Port Huron Northern – Macomb Daily

4. Boys Basketball: Cale Mickelson knocked down a shot as time expired to lead Cadillac past Traverse City St. Francis 50-49 – Cadillac News

5. Hockey: Lake Orion ran its winning streak to six with a 3-0 win over Farmington – Oakland Press

6. Boys Basketball: Pellston moved to 4-0 with another close finish, outlasting Indian River Inland Lakes 61-60 – Petoskey News-Review

7. Girls Basketball: Ishpeming remained undefeated with a 60-47 win over Escanaba – ABC 10

8. Girls Basketball: Hillman opened on with 11-0 run on the way to a 53-37 win over rival Posen – Alpena News

9. Boys Basketball: Brad Sirard scored 35 points to lead Houghton past rival Hancock 64-31 – Houghton Daily Mining Gazette

10. Boys Basketball: Bear Lake continued its perfect start with a 36-point win over Custer Mason County Eastern – Manistee News Advocate