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: 2/21/24

By Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor

February 21, 2024

1. BOYS BASKETBALL Saline downed Ann Arbor Huron 69-60 to win the Southeastern Conference Red title outright – Ann Arbor News

2. GIRLS BASKETBALL Morrice ran its league title streak to four with a 57-32 win over International Academy of Flint that secured a share in the GAC Blue – Owosso Argus-Press

3. GIRLS BASKETBALL Howell edged Northville 45-43 to finish its run to the Kensington Lakes Activities Association West title – Livingston Daily Press & Argus

4. BOYS BASKETBALL Mancelona edged Bellaire 54-52 to create a shared Ski Valley Conference championship between the pair – Up North Live

5. BOYS BASKETBALL Flint Hamady clinched an outright Genesee Area Conference Red title with a 68-44 win over Flint Beecher – WJRT

6. BOYS BASKETBALL Auburn Hills Avondale came back to defeat Oxford 60-56 and clinch the Oakland Activities Association Blue title outright – Oakland Press

7. SKIING Traverse City West and Harbor Springs clinched sweeps of their leagues’ championships – Traverse City Record-Eagle

8. GIRLS BASKETBALL DeWitt downed Holt 54-41 to clinch the outright Capital Area Activities Conference Blue title – Lansing State Journal

9. GIRLS BASKETBALL Jackson Northwest secured the Interstate 8 Athletic Conference championship with a 56-41 win over Marshall – Jackson Citizen Patriot

10. GIRLS BASKETBALL Portland guaranteed itself a share of the CAAC White title with a 55-25 win over Charlotte – Lansing State Journal

Also of note …

BOYS BASKETBALL North Farmington clinched a share of the OAA Red championship with a 43-38 win over Rochester Adams – Hometown Life

GIRLS BASKETBALL Temperance Bedford clinched a share of the SEC Red title with a 43-38 win over Dexter – Monroe News

BOYS BASKETBALL Posen’s Logan Timm broke the MHSAA single-season steals record during a 50-48 loss to Mackinaw City – WBKB