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: 3/4/20
March 4, 2020
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
The boys basketball regular season is over for many and has a game left for most of the rest, but Tuesday was still time enough to get in a few of the biggest matchups in the state this season plus plenty of title celebrations and a major scoring milestone.
1. Boys Basketball: Ann Arbor Huron held on for a 64-54 win over Ypsilanti Lincoln that could be a preview of one of next week’s biggest District matchups – Ann Arbor News
2. Boys Basketball: Grand Blanc edged Flint Beecher 62-55 in a matchup of MHSAA title contenders in Divisions 1 and 3, respectively – Flint Journal
3. Boys Basketball: Stevensville Lakeshore broke a first-place tie and clinched the outright Southwestern Michigan Athletic Conference West championship with a 53-27 win over Portage Central – St. Joseph Herald-Palladium
4. Boys Basketball: A 48-41 win over Johannesburg-Lewiston gave Gaylord St. Mary its first Ski Valley Conference title in 18 seasons – Gaylord Herald Times
5. Boys Basketball: Quincy claimed a share of a fourth-consecutive Big 8 Conference championship with a 57-38 win over Jonesville – Coldwater Daily Reporter
6. Boys Basketball: Howell held on for a 52-48 win over Canton to clinch the overall Kensington Lakes Activities Association title – State Champs Sports Network
7. Boys Basketball: Erie Mason downed Onsted 90-62 to finish a repeat run to the Lenawee County Athletic Association title – Monroe News
8. Boys Basketball: Grand Rapids Forest Hills Northern earned a share of the Ottawa-Kent Conference White title with Forest Hills Central with a 58-44 win over Grand Rapids Northview – FOX 17
9. Boys Basketball: Grant secured a share of the Central State Activities Association Gold championship with an 85-77 win over Fremont – FOX 17
10. Boys Basketball: Centreville downed Hartford 68-44 to earn a share of the Southwest 10 Conference title with Cassopolis, which defeated Mendon 58-49 – Sturgis Journal | JoeInsider.com
Also of note …
Boys Basketball: Marcus Johnson went over 2,000 career points as Iron Mountain downed Gladstone 95-55 – Escanaba Daily Press