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: 3/3/21

By Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor

March 3, 2021

A historic accomplishment from one of Michigan’s longest-tenured coaches leads off the headliners from a night that also saw a rankings-shaking win in girls basketball and another milestone scorer on the boys side.

1. Wrestling: Hartland coach Todd Cheney earned his 800th win with a dual victory over Adrian before the Division 1 No. 3 Eagles also defeated Dexter and No. 6 Temperance Bedford – Livingston Daily Press & Argus

2. Girls Basketball: Byron Center avenged it’s earlier loss to East Grand Rapids by handing the Pioneers their first defeat, 59-56 – FOX 17

3. Boys Basketball: Ryne Peterson went over 1,000 career points as Battle Creek Pennfield downed Jackson Northwest 68-34 – Battle Creek Enquirer

4. Hockey: Romeo took an edge in the Macomb Area Conference Red race with a 4-0 win over L’Anse Creuse Unified – Macomb Daily

5. Girls Basketball: Watervliet avenged its lone loss, downing Saugatuck 52-47 – St. Joseph Herald-Palladium

6. Boys Basketball: Kyle Beebe’s halfcourt overtime game-winner pushed Ravenna past Montague – Muskegon Chronicle

7. Boys Basketball: Manton handed McBain Northern Michigan Christian its first defeat, 57-41 – Cadillac News

8. Girls Basketball: Dearborn Divine Child edged Flat Rock 41-38 in a significant nonleague matchup – Southgate News-Herald

9. Girls Basketball: Saginaw Nouvel came back from an early deficit to get past Michigan Lutheran Seminary 47-31 – Saginaw News

10. Girls Basketball: Grass Lake held on for a 54-48 win over Parma Western – JTV