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: 2/23/24

By Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor

February 23, 2024

1. BOYS BASKETBALL Saginaw Heritage doubled up Flint Powers Catholic to clinch a share of the Saginaw Valley League title for the second time in program history – Saginaw News

2. BOYS BASKETBALL Baldwin clinched the West Michigan D League title with a 57-45 win over Pentwater – Big Rapids Pioneer

3. GIRLS BASKETBALL Monroe St. Mary Catholic Central defeated Jefferson 52-41 to clinch a share of the Huron League title, then ended up with the championship outright as Flat Rock edged co-leader Riverview 46-45 – Monroe News

4. BOYS BASKETBALL Harbor Light Christian downed Mackinaw City 71-32 to claim the Northern Lakes Conference title for the first time since 2011 – Traverse City Record-Eagle

5. BOYS BASKETBALL Dearborn Edsel Ford and Brownstown Woodhaven are co-champions of the Downriver League after Edsel’s 48-32 win – Southgate News-Herald

6. BOYS BASKETBALL Whitehall finished a perfect regular season and West Michigan Conference Lakes title run with a 75-57 victory over Muskegon Oakridge – Muskegon Chronicle

7. BOYS BASKETBALL Saginaw Nouvel clinched a repeat Tri-Valley Conference White title with an 81-40 victory over Michigan Lutheran Seminary – WJRT

8. GIRLS BASKETBALL Ann Arbor Father Gabriel Richard defeated Detroit Renaissance 54-39 to claim the Operation Friendship meeting of league champions – MLIVE-Detroit

9. BOYS BASKETBALL Bay City All Saints finished perfect in the North Central Thumb League Stripes, defeating Carsonville-Port Sanilac – Bay City Times

10. BOWLING Holton and Ravenna’s boys and girls teams advanced to Division 4 Finals, Ravenna finishing first and Holton second for girls and with the order reversed for the boys Regional – Local Sports Journal

Also of note …

BOYS BASKETBALL The Basketball Coaches Association of Michigan announced its Mr. Basketball Award finalists – Detroit Free Press

BOYS BASKETBALL Greg Lawson II became Davison’s all-time leading scorer as his team defeated Saginaw Arthur Hill 68-57 – Mid-Michigan Now

BOYS BASKETBALL Traverse City Central downed Alpena 71-49, but Alpena’s Tucker Bright reached 1,000 career points – Alpena News

HOCKEY No. 2 Marquette defeated Escanaba 7-1 in a Division 3 Regional, giving Marquette coach Doug Garrow his 200th win – Upper Michigan’s Source

GIRLS BASKETBALL Portage Central completed an outright championship run in the Southwestern Michigan Athletic Conference with a 46-36 win over second-place Stevensville Lakeshore – St. Joseph Herald-Palladium

BOYS BASKETBALL Portage Central also finished an outright SMAC run on the boys side with a 58-33 win over Lakeshore – Kalamazoo Gazette