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: 9/20/21

By Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor

September 20, 2021

1. CROSS COUNTRY The Ann Arbor Pioneer girls – No. 1 in Lower Peninsula Division 1 – won their Spartan Elite race to highlight in-state champions at the annual Spartan Invitational at Michigan State – Athletic.net

2. VOLLEYBALL Hudsonville Unity Christian won the Portage Northern Invitational with a 2-1 finale over Division 2 honorable mention Niles – Niles Daily Star

3. GIRLS GOLF Richland Gull Lake shot a 354 to win the Coldwater Invitational – Coldwater Daily Reporter

4. CROSS COUNTRY The Dexter, Freeland (No. 4 LPD2), Goodrich (No. 10 LPD2), Jackson Lumen Christi (No. 11 LPD3) and Hillsdale Academy (No. 3 LPD4) girls, and Lake Orion (No. 7 LPD1), East Lansing (No. 11 LPD1), Flint Powers Catholic (No. 10 LPD2), Bronson and Hillsdale Academy (No. 4 LPD4) boys won titles at the Holly/Duane Raffin Festival of Races – Athletic.net

5. GIRLS GOLF Bay City Western shot a season-best 387 to win the Bay County Championship – Bay City Times

6. GIRLS GOLF Rockford shot a 313 to win the Greenville Invitational – Petoskey News-Review

7. CROSS COUNTRY Grand Rapids Christian swept Division 1 races, while the LPD1 No. 11 St. Joseph’s girls and honorable mention Grand Haven’s boys won Division 2 races at the Grand Rapids Ottawa Hills Invitational; Grand Rapids Christian’s girls are No. 2 in LPD2, and the boys are No. 1 – Athletic.net

8. CROSS COUNTRY The Ann Arbor Huron boys and LPD1 No. 3 Saline girls were among champions at the Huron Invitational – Athletic.net

9. BOYS TENNIS LPD2 No. 4 Midland Dow topped its quad also featuring No. 10 Traverse City Central, No. 9 Portage Central and Grosse Pointe North – Midland Daily News

10. BOYS SOCCER Big Rapids handed Division 2 No. 8 Ludington its first defeat this season, 1-0 – Big Rapids News