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: 9/21/22

By Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor

September 21, 2022

1. GIRLS GOLF No. 2 Brighton edged top-ranked Northville 162-168, the Bulldogs’ first victory over the four-time reigning Lower Peninsula Division 1 champion since they became league opponents in 2018 – Livingston Daily Press & Argus

2. CROSS COUNTRY A loaded tri saw the LPD1 top-ranked Northville boys finish ahead of No. 2 Plymouth and No. 6 Brighton and the No. 3 Brighton girls outpace No. 5 Northville and Plymouth – Livingston Daily Press & Argus

3. BOYS SOCCER Division 3 No. 10 Traverse City Christian avenged last year’s District loss to No. 7 Elk Rapids with a 3-2 victory – Up North Live

4. VOLLEYBALL Division 1 No. 7 Clarkston earned a key Oakland Activities Association Red win over honorable mention Lake Orion in four sets – Oakland Press

5. VOLLEYBALL Spring Lake won the final two sets to get past Division 2 honorable mention Fruitport in five – MuskegonSports.com

6. VOLLEYBALL Division 1 honorable mention Grand Blanc earned a five-set win over rival Davison – Mid-Michigan Now

7. VOLLEYBALL Navea Gauthier went over 1,000 career kills as just a sophomore as Division 3 No. 8 Shelby swept Ravenna – Local Sports Journal

8. BOYS SOCCER Petoskey kept its title hopes alive in the Big North Conference with a 2-1 win at Traverse City Central – Petoskey News-Review

9. VOLLEYBALL Hart came back from a 2-0 deficit to defeat Mason County Central in five sets – Ludington Daily News

10. VOLLEYBALL After losing the first set, Charlevoix won the next three to defeat Boyne City – Petoskey News-Review

Also of note …

CROSS COUNTRY/TRACK & FIELD Flint Carman-Ainsworth coach Kenn Domerese announced his retirement after leading four teams to MHSAA Finals championships over nearly five decades – Flint Journal