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: 3/10/16

March 10, 2016

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

The final eight MHSAA hockey semifinalists were determined Wednesday night, and the boys basketball tournament rolled through Semifinals to line up Friday’s championships matchups.

Boys Basketball

In a Class A matchup of teams with a combined record of 37-3, East Lansing came out on top of DeWitt 70-52 – Lansing State Journal

Hudsonville needed overtime to get past Wyoming 55-52 in a Class A matchup of top teams from the Grand Rapids area – Grand Rapids Press

Dowagiac downed Benton Harbor 68-60 in a meeting of annual Class B contenders – Niles Daily Star

Also in Class B, Hudsonville Unity Christian was taken to triple overtime by Allendale before prevailing 58-52 – Grand Rapids Press

East Jordan set a school record for wins with its 20th in a Class C victory over Harbor Springs, 48-41 – Petoskey News

Reese just clipped Saginaw Michigan Lutheran Seminary 52-50 in Class C, although the Cardinals’ Andrew Schroeder did go over 1,000 points for his career – Saginaw News

Ice Hockey

Brighton is headed back to the Division 1 Semifinals thanks a to a 4-2 win over East Kentwood – Livingston Daily

Detroit U-D Jesuit also is headed back to the Division 1 Semifinals after a 6-2 win over Utica Eisenhower – Oakland Press

Grandville also advanced in Division 1, with a 5-2 win over Rockford – Grand Rapids Press

Detroit Catholic Central cruised to a 9-1 win over Saginaw Swan Valley/Tri-Valley in a Division 1 Quarterfinal – Oakland Press

Grand Rapids Catholic Central eliminated top-ranked Saginaw Heritage, 6-1, in Division 3 – Grand Rapids Press

Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook Kingswood scored with fewer than 30 seconds to play to advance in Division 3 with a 2-1 win over Detroit Country Day – Oakland Press

Chelsea scored with fewer than two minutes to play in its Division 3 game to get past Gibraltar Carlson 2-1 – Ann Arbor News

Hancock defeated Sault Ste. Marie 5-2 in a Division 3 Quarterfinal – 9&10 News