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: 2/25/16
February 25, 2016
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
There’s a group of athletes in Michigan welcoming the snow storm sweeping the Lower Peninsula over the last 24 hours – skiers competing for league championships who have been some of the few in action over the last two days.
Boys Basketball
Ludington earned one of its most impressive victories this season, pushing through overtime to get past Muskegon Heights Academy 61-57 – Muskegon Chronicle
Warren DeLaSalle came back from three points down with 34 seconds to play to edge Detroit Loyola 53-52 in a Detroit Catholic League A-B semifinal – Detroit News
Skiing
The Elk Rapids/Traverse City St. Francis boys and Harbor Springs girls won Lake Michigan Conference championships at Boyne Highlands – Traverse City Record-Eagle
From Tuesday, The Bloomfield Hills Marian girls and Rochester Adams boys got a final tune up for Monday’s Finals by winning the Southeast Michigan Ski League meets at Mt. Holly – Oakland Press
Football
One of the winningest football coaches in MHSAA history will be back this fall – former Utica Eisenhower leader Bob Lantzy is taking over at Rochester Hills Stoney Creek – Oakland Press
Good Reads
A group of seniors who have gone to school together since kindergarten are in position to lead Gobles to its third straight perfect basketball regular season – Kalamazoo Gazette
When losing basketball became the ultimatum for Grand Rapids Wellspring’s DonKiece George, he became the student now putting up a 3.4 grade-point average and staying out of the principal’s office – Grand Rapids Press