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: 5/11/26

By Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor

May 11, 2026

1. TRACK & FIELD The Petersburg Summerfield girls – ranked No. 2 in Lower Peninsula Division 4 – won their first Tri-County Conference title since 1990, while Erie Mason was the boys champion – Monroe News

2. GIRLS TENNIS Sturgis clinched its first league title in this sport since 2003, in the Wolverine Conference – Sturgis Journal

3. TRACK & FIELD The Ann Arbor Pioneer girls and Huron boys continued championship streaks in the Southeastern Conference Red – Ann Arbor News Girls | Boys

4. GIRLS TENNIS LPD1 No. 4 Holland West Ottawa ran its Ottawa-Kent Conference Red title streak to nine – Holland Sentinel

5. GIRLS TENNIS North Muskegon edged Ludington by a point to secure the West Michigan Conference championship – Local Sports Journal

6. GIRLS SOCCER Division 3 No. 11 Almont downed Richmond to win the Blue Water Area Conference Tournament title – Macomb Daily

7. GIRLS SOCCER Division 2 No. 2 Richland Gull Lake emerged as the Southwestern Michigan Athletic Conference champion with a 1-1 draw against Division 1 No. 4 Portage Central – WWMT

8. TRACK & FIELD The LPD1 No. 7 Traverse City West girls and Traverse City Central boys locked up Big North Conference titles – Traverse City Record-Eagle

9. TRACK & FIELD The O-K Conference championships were decided, with the LPD1 No. 2 East Kentwood girls getting past top-ranked Rockford and the top-ranked Falcons boys scoring the most points in that meet since 2010 – Grand Rapids Press Girls | Boys

10. GIRLS TENNIS LPD3 No. 7 Holland Christian edged Zeeland West to win the O-K Black Tournament – Holland Christian

Also of note …

TRACK & FIELD The LPD3 No. 5 Adrian Madison boys and No. 6 Blissfield girls are champions in the Lenawee County Athletic Association – Adrian Daily Telegram Girls | Boys

TRACK & FIELD The Saginaw Heritage boys and Bay City Western girls were Saginaw Valley League champs – Saginaw News

TRACK & FIELD Northville swept Kensington Lakes Activities Association meet title – Livingston Daily Press & Argus

BOYS GOLF Gavin Sherby carded a record-setting 60 to lead New Baltimore Anchor Bay to an Opalewski Invitational title – Macomb Daily