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: 2/10/16

February 10, 2016

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

Teams are turning their attention toward the season’s most important competitions, with league titles being awarded and milestones attained and the postseason beginning this week in one sport with the rest to soon follow.

Girls Basketball

Caledonia improved to 14-2 by handing Grand Rapids South Christian its first loss, 33-31 – Grand Rapids Press

Howell earned a share of its first league championship since 2009-10, downing Hartland 46-35 to set up a chance to win the Kensington Lakes Activities Association West title outright Friday against Brighton – Livingston Daily

Manistee won its seventh straight game, this time downing Big North Conference contender Traverse City Central 45-38 – Manistee News Advocate

Gaylord St. Mary came back from deficits twice to down Bellaire, 38-34 – Gaylord Herald Times

Muskegon Oakridge’s Hannah Reinhold cleared 1,000 career points in her team’s title-clinching win over Shelby – Muskegon Chronicle

From Monday, New Boston Huron outscored Flat Rock 10-0 in the fourth quarter to win 41-34 and end Flat Rock’s Huron League winning streak of 57 games dating to 2012 – Monroe Evening News

Boys Basketball

Anthony Morgan’s fifth 3-pointer against Marysville came with nine seconds left in overtime and gave St. Clair Shores South Lake a 62-61 win – Macomb Daily

Class C Southfield Christian handed Class A Ann Arbor Pioneer its second straight loss, 56-49 – Ann Arbor News

Edwardsburg’s Dante Razzano scored his 1,000th career point in a 69-38 win over Plainwell – Kalamazoo Gazette

Orchard Lake St. Mary’s C.J. Wilson followed Detroit Catholic Central’s Tyler Laurentius’ closing-seconds layup with a winning free throw in a 51-50 Eaglets win – Oakland Press

Saugatuck’s Blake Dunn dropped 42 points on 18 field goals on Eau Claire in a 70-62 win – Holland Sentinel

Canton trailed Livonia Churchill by nine points with two minutes left in regulation, but came back to win in double overtime to remain undefeated – Detroit News

From Monday, Litchfield scored a school record number of points and tied another record with nine 3-pointers in a 107-83 win over Battle Creek Calhoun Christian – Hillsdale Daily News

Boys Swimming & Diving

Lower Peninsula Division 2 No. 6 Midland Dow won the final event against No. 3 Birmingham Groves to also win their meet, 94-92 – Midland Daily News

For the second straight season, New Baltimore Anchor Bay and Marysville met in the final meet of the Macomb Area Conference Blue season – and for the second straight season, Anchor Bay won to claim the league title – Port Huron Times Herald