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: 1/19/24

By Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor

January 19, 2024

1. BOYS BASKETBALL Trenton Taratuta went over 2,000 career points in Hillman’s 70-38 win over Fairview – Alpena News

2. GIRLS BASKETBALL Portage Central sits alone in first place in the Southwestern Michigan Athletic Conference West thanks to a 53-44 win over Stevensville Lakeshore – Kalamazoo Gazette

3. BOYS BASKETBALL North Farmington remains undefeated after a 50-35 win over Rochester Adams – Detroit News

4. GIRLS BASKETBALL Emma Jones’ 3-pointer at the buzzer pushed Homer past Jonesville 42-41 – Hillsdale Daily News

5. GIRLS BASKETBALL St. Joseph Our Lady of the Lake Catholic defeated St. Joseph Michigan Lutheran for the first time since 2014, 22-20 – St. Joseph Herald-Palladium

6. BOYS BASKETBALL Clinton Township Clintondale is tied for first in the Macomb Area Conference Bronze thanks to a 53-39 victory over co-leader Center Line – Macomb Daily

7. HOCKEY Traverse City West posted a 3-2 win over Saline – MI Sports Now

8. BOYS BASKETBALL Alex Jamison set a Port Huron Northern record with eight 3-pointers in his team’s 78-67 win over Grosse Pointe North – Port Huron Times Herald

9. GIRLS BASKETBALL Grosse Ile continued to shine defensively in a 45-33 win over Flat Rock – Southgate News-Herald

10. BOYS BASKETBALL Mackinaw City kept pace in the Northern Lakes Conference with a 76-43 win over Indian River Inland Lakes – Cheboygan Daily Tribune

Also of note …

FOOTBALL Westland John Glenn coach Jason Mensing, who led a quick turnaround of the program after previously guiding Ottawa Lake Whiteford to the 2017 Division 8 championship, is leaving for a position in Florida – Hometown Life