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: 3/4/16
March 4, 2016
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
The boys basketball regular season finished up in most areas of the state Thursday, as the Individual Wrestling Finals got started and the hockey, girls basketball and boys diving postseasons continued on.
Girls Basketball
After falling to rival Bath only a few weeks ago, Laingsburg came back to win the District battle of co-champions from the Central Michigan Athletic Conference, 41-27 – Lansing State Journal
Boys Basketball
Unbeaten Canton secured the overall Kensington Lakes Activities Association championship with a 50-47 overtime win over Walled Lake Western – Oakland Press
Detroit U-D Jesuit won the Operation Friendship game between champions from the Detroit Catholic League and Public School League, downing East English 92-76 – Detroit News
Traxton Gordon scored the 1,000th point of his Hesperia career despite a loss to North Muskegon – Muskegon Chronicle
Keegan George also went over 1,000 points for his career, although his Spring Lake team fell to Muskegon Catholic Central – Muskegon Chronicle
From Tuesday, Pickford’s Derrick Edington also joined the 1,000 point club in a 68-63 win over Rogers City – Sault Ste. Marie Evening News
The Detroit Free Press introduced the five finalists for this season’s Basketball Coaches Association of Michigan Mr. Basketball Award – Detroit Free Press
Ice Hockey
Cadillac scored with 20 seconds to play in regulation to edge Mount Pleasant 3-2 in a Division 3 Pre-Regional – Cadillac News
For the fourth time in five seasons, Brighton ended Howell’s season, this time 3-1 in a battle of Division 1 contenders – Livingston Daily
Warren DeLaSalle just survived Grosse Pointe Woods University Liggett in Division 3, 5-4 after leading 3-0 early – Macomb Daily
Midland advanced in Division 2 with a 4-1 win over Midland Dow after falling to Dow twice during the regular season – Midland Daily News
After falling to Muskegon Reeths-Puffer in the tournament the last three seasons, Mona Shores came out on top with a 6-5 win in Division 2 – Muskegon Chronicle
Wrestling
Hartland’s Sage Castillo improved to 53-0 this season with a pin in his Division 1 first-round match as the MHSAA Individual Finals kicked off at The Palace of Auburn Hills – Detroit News