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: 2/24/26
By
Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor
February 24, 2026
1. GIRLS SKIING Pontiac Notre Dame Prep’s Maren Studt won both slalom and giant slalom for the second-straight season, and Detroit Country Day won its first team championship at the Division 2 Finals – MHSAA.com
2. GIRLS SKIING Marquette held on for its first Finals championship since 2020, winning in Division 1 – MHSAA.com
3. BOYS SKIING Marquette had top players in both individual events and Traverse City West clinched the team title – MHSAA.com
4. BOYS SKIING After one season away, Petoskey is back as champion in Division 2 – MHSAA.com
5. BOYS BASKETBALL Brayden Wright scored 41 points, including the 1,000th of his career, as Reading opened its Division 4 District with a 65-53 victory over Hillsdale Will Carleton Academy – Hillsdale Daily News
6. GIRLS BASKETBALL Pewamo-Westphalia edged Grand Rapids Catholic Central 55-53 in a matchup of 18-win teams that also saw P-W’s Elly Bengel score her 1,000th point – WOOD TV
7. BOYS BASKETBALL Karter Fegan scored his 1,000th career point and Standish-Sterling hung on for a 57-56 win over Midland Bullock Creek in a Division 2 District opener – Bay City Times
8. BOYS BASKETBALL Ryan Opsommer’s 3-pointer during the closing seconds of overtime gave Muskegon Mona Shores a 61-60 District-opening win over Reeths-Puffer in Division 1 – Local Sports Journal
9. BOYS BASKETBALL Gavin Taylor’s last-second basket gave Coldwater a 55-53 win over Richland Gull Lake in Division 1 – WTVB
10. BOYS BASKETBALL Otisville-LakeVille Memorial earned its first MHSAA Tournament win since 2011, downing Genesee 53-35 in Division 3 – Flint Journal