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: 2/24/22

By Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor

February 24, 2022

1. BOYS BASKETBALL Onaway clinched its first league title in this sport since 1963, downing Mancelona to win the Ski Valley Conference outright – Up North Live

2. GIRLS BASKETBALL Gibraltar Carlson edged Trenton 48-47 to clinch the Downriver League title outright, its first league championship in this sport since 2006 – Southgate News-Herald

3. BOYS BASKETBALL Division 1 No. 3 Orchard Lake St. Mary’s advanced to the Detroit Catholic League Bishop championship game with a 65-43 win over top-ranked Detroit U-D Jesuit – MLive-Detroit

4. HOCKEY No. 9 Traverse City Central edged Big North Conference champ Petoskey 2-1 to advance in their Division 2 Regional – Traverse City Record-Eagle

5. BOYS BASKETBALL Big Rapids defeated Grant to clinch a share of the Central State Activities Association Gold title – Big Rapids News

6. BASKETBALL The Big Bay de Noc girls and Hannahville boys won Northern Lights League Tournament championships – Sault Ste. Marie Evening News

7.  BOYS BASKETBALL Division 4 No. 15 Ubly got past Marlette 42-39 to claim the Greater Thumb Conference East title outright – Huron Daily Tribune

8. BOYS BASKETBALL Mesick downed Baldwin to complete an outright title run in the West Michigan D League – Cadillac News

9. GIRLS BASKETBALL Kendall Zoulek went over 1,000 career points in Shelby’s 37-34 win over Whitehall – CatchMark SportsNet

10. HOCKEY Fenton/Linden played through four overtimes to get past White Lake Lakeland 3-2 in a Division 2 Regional game – WJRT