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: 2/25/20

February 25, 2020

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

The MHSAA Skiing Finals capped another winter season with four team championships awarded Monday – find Second Half coverage to the right – while Hockey Regionals also began and a pair of girls basketball results made big headlines.

1. Girls Basketball: West runner-up Brighton advanced to the Kensington Lakes Activities Association title game with a 49-38 win over East champion Wayne Memorial – Livingston Daily Press & Argus

2. Girls Basketball: Lake City moved to 19-1 by handing Bellaire its first loss of the season, 37-27 – Cadillac News

3. Hockey: Kalamazoo Eagles avenged a 4-3 overtime loss to Capital City with a 2-1 Division 1 Regional win – JoeInsider.com

4. Hockey: New Boston United and Southgate-Monroe split during the regular season, but NBU came out on top 8-3 in Division 1 Regional play – Southgate News-Herald

5. Hockey: The No. 9 Traverse Bay Reps opened Division 1 Regional play with a 6-2 win over Grand Rapids Christian – MI Sports Now

6. Girls Basketball: Hartland also advanced to the KLAA final with a 46-25 win over Dearborn – Detroit News

7. Boys Basketball: Fife Lake Forest Area upset Gaylord St. Mary 87-72 – Traverse City Record-Eagle

8. Girls Basketball: Pinconning downed Whittemore-Prescott 66-28 to move to 13-6, guaranteeing its winningest season since 2002 – Bay City Times

9. Boys Basketball: Pickford improved to 15-2 with a 55-46 win over Engadine – MI Sports Now

10. Boys Basketball: Gladstone picked up a 79-61 win over Ishpeming Westwood – Escanaba Daily Press

Also of note …

Boys Basketball: From Friday, Mount Pleasant Sacred Heart downed Blanchard Montabella 62-40 to clinch the Mid-State Activities Conference championship – Mount Pleasant Morning Sun

Girls Basketball: From Thursday, Niles Brandywine got past rival Buchanan 73-38 to lock up the Berrien-Cass-St. Joseph Red title – Niles Daily Star