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: 2/24/16
February 24, 2016
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
A pair of Michigan’s top scorers earned milestone points Tuesday, while another girls basketball team earned a milestone win for the first time in nearly 30 years.
Girls Basketball
Muskegon Mona Shores junior Jordan Walker, a member of the MHSAA Student Advisory Council, became the fastest player in school history to score 1,000 career points, reaching the milestone with 29 in a 79-54 win over Zeeland East – Muskegon Chronicle
Berkley clinched a share of its first league title since 1988 with a 44-32 win over Birmingham Groves in the Oakland Activities Association Gold – Oakland Press
Boys Basketball
Steven Lloyd became the first player in Clinton Township Chippewa Hills history to score 1,000 career points, adding 17 to his total in a 50-29 win over Macomb L’Anse Creuse North – MLive-Detroit
Lansing Catholic made two free throws with two seconds to play to win a crossover matchup of league co-leaders in the Capital Area Activities Conference, 69-67 over DeWitt – MLive-Lansing
McBain remained undefeated by handing only the second loss this season to Frankfort, 61-54 in overtime – Traverse City Record-Eagle
Holland West Ottawa, which won its first 15 games, lost its second straight, 55-53 to Hudsonville – Grand Rapids Press
Saugatuck’s Blake Dunn scored a school-record 51 points in a 79-52 win over Lawton; girls star Kiri Tiemeyer had a career-high 34 in her team’s 56-31 win over the Blue Devils – Holland Sentinel
Houghton edged Lake Linden-Hubbell 50-48 in a matchup of the two best teams in the northern Upper Peninsula, handing the Lakes their first loss – Houghton Daily Mining Gazette
Gymnastics
From Saturday, Grand Ledge won its ninth straight Capital Area Activities Conference championship despite trailing Haslett/Williamston/Bath heading into the final rotation – Lansing State Journal
Ice Hockey
Division 1 No. 2 Brighton outlasted No. 8 Utica Eisenhower 6-4 – Livingston Daily