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: 2/27/25

By Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor

February 27, 2025

1. HOCKEY Top-ranked Detroit Catholic Central downed No. 2 Hartland 2-1 in overtime to win a Division 1 Regional championship – Oakland Press

2. HOCKEY Riverview Gabriel Richard secured its eighth-straight Division 3 Regional title with a 5-2 victory over Detroit Country Day – Southgate News-Herald

3. BOYS BASKETBALL Grand Rapids Catholic Central advanced in a Division 2 District with a 44-35 win over Hudsonville Unity Christian – Grand Rapids Press

4. HOCKEY Top-ranked Flint Powers Catholic clinched a Division 2 Regional title with a 4-1 win over No. 10 White Lake Lakeland – WJRT

5. BOYS BASKETBALL Battle Creek Harper Creek defeated Pennfield in a Division 2 District matchup of co-champions from the Interstate 8 Athletic Conference – Battle Creek Enquirer

6. HOCKEY Sparta claimed a Division 1 Regional title with a 2-1 overtime win over Muskegon Mona Shores – Local Sports Journal

7. BOYS BASKETBALL Pinconning’s Brady Lupcke reached 1,000 career points in his team’s 45-42 Division 3 District win over Beaverton – Bay City Times

8. BOYS BASKETBALL Goodrich downed Flint Kearsley in Division 2, 61-40, to avenge a pair of regular-season losses including in last week’s Flint Metro League title game – WJRT

9. HOCKEY No. 7 Marquette advanced in Division 2 with a 2-1 overtime win over Midland in a Regional Final – Midland Daily News

10. BOYS BASKETBALL Muskegon won a Division 1 District Semifinal matchup of league champions 66-43 over Greenville – Local Sports Journal