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: 2/18/26
By
Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor
February 18, 2026
1. BOYS BASKETBALL Gladwin locked up its first league title since 1993 with a 49-46 win over Beaverton in the Jack Pine Conference championship game – Midland Daily News
2. GIRLS BASKETBALL Blissfield clinched a fourth-straight Lenawee County Athletic Association title with a 49-45 win over Adrian Madison – Adrian Daily Telegram
3. BOYS BASKETBALL Birch Run set a program record with 19 wins and claimed the Mid-Michigan Athletic Conference title outright for the first time with a 62-37 win over Montrose – WNEM
4. BOYS BASKETBALL Fruitport set a program record for wins in clinching a share of the Ottawa-Kent Conference Silver title with a 76-58 victory over Wyoming Godwin Heights – MuskegonSports.com
5. BOYS BASKETBALL Elk Rapids ran its Northern Shores Conference title streak to three with a 76-46 clincher over Boyne City – Traverse City Record-Eagle
6. GIRLS BASKETBALL Brooklyn Columbia Central clinched the Cascades Conference West championship with a 65-41 win over Hanover-Horton – Jackson Citizen Patriot
7. GIRLS BASKETBALL Tecumseh wrapped up a third-straight Southeastern Conference White title with a big win over Ypsilanti Lincoln – Adrian Daily Telegram
8. BOYS BASKETBALL Jackson, Chelsea and Ypsilanti Lincoln finished as champions together in the Southeastern Conference White – Jackson Citizen Patriot
9. BOYS BASKETBALL Grand Rapids Christian clinched a share of the Ottawa-Kent Conference White title with a 51-43 win over Grand Rapids Catholic Central – Grand Rapids Press
10. BOYS BASKETBALL McBain clinched a share of the Highland Conference title with a 79-54 win over LeRoy Pine River – Cadillac News
Also of note …
BOYS BASKETBALL Maple City Glen Lake finished its Northwest Conference title march with an 86-73 win over Benzie Central – MI Sports Now
BOYS BASKETBALL Jackson Dzwik became the all-time leading scorer in the city of Battle Creek, now at 1,526 points after scoring 41 against Jackson Christian – Battle Creek Enquirer
BOYS BASKETBALL Dayne Ivey reached 1,000 career points in Pinconning’s 60-45 win over Shepherd – Bay City Times