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: 9/27/21

By Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor

September 27, 2021

1. GIRLS SWIMMING & DIVING Ann Arbor Pioneer – the top-ranked team in Lower Peninsula Division 1 – won duals over No. 2 Northville, LPD2 No. 1 Birmingham Seaholm and LPD3 No. 6 Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook Kingswood at a Northville Invitational featuring all three of last year’s Lower Peninsula Finals winners – We Love Ann Arbor

2. GIRLS SWIMMING & DIVING LPD3 No. 3 Holland Christian was first and No. 8 Grand Rapids Christian second at the Division 3 Midseason Invitational – Holland Sentinel

3. GIRLS SWIMMING & DIVING LPD2 honorable mention Midland Dow followed Ella Roberson’s lead in winning the Tri Cities Championship – Midland Daily News

4. GIRLS GOLF Spring Lake won a Ludington Invitational that saw the top five teams separated by 17 strokes with a field that included the reigning LPD3 champion – Local Sports Journal

5. VOLLEYBALL Division 3 honorable mention Pewamo-Westphalia defeated Division 2 No. 8 Cadillac 2-1 to win the Gold division of the East Grand Rapids Invitational – Cadillac News

6. GIRLS SWIMMING & DIVING LPD3 honorable mentions Trenton and Grosse Ile posted the top two team finishes, respectively, at the Downriver Classic – Southgate News-Herald

7. VOLLEYBALL Division 2 honorable mention Niles swept Portage Northern, Division 3 No. 9 Bronson and Schoolcraft in a Saturday quad – Niles Daily Star

8. CROSS COUNTRY The LPD1 No. 1 Ann Arbor Pioneer, Tecumseh and LPD3 No. 5 Jackson Lumen Christi girls and LPD1 No. 9 Traverse City Central, UPD1 No. 2 Sault Ste. Marie and Stockbridge boys won Jackson Invitational championships – Athletic.net

9. VOLLEYBALL Marquette won every set in claiming its nine-team Redette Rumble championship – Marquette Mining Journal

10. BOYS TENNIS LPD3 No. 7 Sturgis swept and shut out LPD4 No. 5 Big Rapids and Williamston – Sturgis Journal