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: 10/12/26

By Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor

October 12, 2026

1. BOYS TENNIS Ludington edged No. 8 Grand Rapids NorthPointe Christian by a point to win their Lower Peninsula Division 4 Regional – Local Sports Journal

2. BOYS TENNIS No. 2 Novi edged No. 3 Bloomfield Hills Brother Rice by two points to win their LPD1 Regional – MHSAA.com

3. CROSS COUNTRY The LPD1 No. 1 Ann Arbor Pioneer, LPD2 No. 1 Holland Christian, LPD3 No. 1 Lansing Catholic and LPD4 No. 1 Hillsdale Academy girls and LPD1 No. 4 Brighton, LPD2 No. 1 Holland Christian, LPD3 No. 1 Hanover-Horton and LPD4 No. 1 Holland Calvary boys won at the Portage Invitational – Athletic.net

4. GIRLS SWIMMING & DIVING Midland Dow’s Amelia Malarz set a school record in winning the 100-yard breaststroke at the annual MISCA meet – Midland Daily News

5. CROSS COUNTRY The LPD1 No. 9 Hartland girls and LPD2 No. 5 Flint Powers Catholic boys won at the Greater Flint Championships – Athletic.net

6. GIRLS VOLLEYBALL Division 4 No. 9 Hancock defeated the host Sentinels in the final to win the Marquette Invitational – Upper Michigan’s Source

7. CROSS COUNTRY The LPD1 No. 3 Northville girls and Plymouth boys were team champions at the Wayne County Championships – Athletic.net

8. GIRLS VOLLEYBALL Traverse City Central went 4-0 at Hudsonville Unity Christian, defeating Portage Northern, Division 2 No. 5 Grand Rapids South Christian, Vicksburg and the host Crusaders – Traverse City Record-Eagle

9. CROSS COUNTRY The Midland Dow girls and Troy boys were victorious at the Dow Chargers Invitational – Saginaw News | Athletic.net

10. GIRLS VOLLEYBALL Division 1 No. 6 Utica Eisenhower improved to 25-2 with a sweep of Macomb L’Anse Creuse North – Macomb Daily