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: 2/3/16
February 3, 2016
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
Records fell in three sports and a notable winning streak was broken on a night filled with classic finishes and a matchup of arguably the two best girls basketball players in Michigan.
Girls Basketball
In a battle of teams led by the likely Miss Basketball Award favorites this winter, Muskegon and Mardrekia Cook (26 points, 17 rebounds, 10 assists) downed Kysre Gondrezick and Benton Harbor (49 points) 76-54 – Muskegon Chronicle
Undefeated Stevensville Lakeshore needed double overtime to stay perfect on the season as it survived Richland Gull Lake, 61-59 – Kalamazoo Gazette
In a rematch of last season’s Class B Final, reigning champion Detroit Country Day downed now-Class A Haslett 69-56 – Lansing State Journal
Farmington Hills Mercy won a low-scoring contest with rival Bloomfield Hills Marian, 32-25, to take control of the Detroit Catholic League Central – Oakland Press
Johannesburg-Lewiston just got past Gaylord St. Mary, 61-59 in double overtime, in their annual Rivals Rally game – Petoskey News
Boys Basketball
Ivan Warren scored 44 points – with 36 coming on 3-pointers – to lead Flint Southwestern to a 77-59 win over Detroit Country Day – Flint Journal
Warren DeLaSalle’s Kevin McKay became his school’s all-time career leading scorer putting up 29 in a 56-42 win over Orchard Lake St. Mary’s – Oakland Press
Monroe St. Mary Catholic Central ended Milan’s 61-game Huron League winning streak with a 62-44 victory – Monroe Evening News
Ypsilanti Community’s Corey Allen drilled 45 points as the Grizzlies edged Ann Arbor Huron 77-74 in overtime in a matchup of top Class A teams – Detroit Free Press
Holly’s Kyle Woodruff scored his 1,000th career point in his team’s 79-42 win over Flint Kearsley – Flint Journal
Boys Swimming & Diving
Zeeland diver Josh Zylstra set his home pool and school record with a score of 323.7 to win the event and help his team to a 115-68 victory over Byron Center – Holland Sentinel
Wrestling
Sturgis’ Luke Carver earned his 150th career win during the Trojans’ match victory over Coldwater; Sturgis also beat Battle Creek Harper Creek – Sturgis Journal
Good Read
After an outstanding junior season at Traverse City Central in 2014-15, Andrew Froese took an opportunity to continue at the junior level in South Dakota. But after three games this fall, he came back to Michigan and is instead finishing a memorable high school career with his classmates – Traverse City Record-Eagle