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: 2/24/2020

February 24, 2020

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor 

A championship-filled weekend saw Regional champs celebrated in wrestling, District winners hoist trophies in competitive cheer and league title earners rise in basketball, hockey and bowling.

1. Competitive Cheer: Allen Park finished first and Dearborn Divine Child in a power-packed Division 2 District – Southgate News-Herald

2. Boys Basketball: River Rouge downed Benton Harbor 58-52 in a matchup of title hopefuls in two divisions – MLive-Detroit

3. Boys Basketball: Mason Wojtusik went over 1,000 career points as Mount Pleasant defeated Saginaw 64-53 to clinch the Saginaw Valley League North title – Mount Pleasant Morning Sun

4. Wrestling: Six champions led 12 Brighton wrestlers total to qualify for the Division 1 Individual Finals at Saturday’s Regional – Livingston Daily Press & Argus

5. Girls Basketball: Farmington Hills Mercy downed Bloomfield Hills Marian 51-40 to win the Detroit Catholic League Bishop championship – State Champs Sports Network

6. Girls Basketball: Ann Arbor Huron clinched the Southeastern Conference Red title with a 60-47 win over Ann Arbor Pioneer – We Love Ann Arbor

7. Hockey: Muskegon Mona Shores scored two third-period goals to get past Hudsonville 3-2 and clinch the Ottawa-Kent Conference Fischer championship – Local Sports Journal

8. Hockey: A big win over Lenawee United gave Dexter its second-straight Southeastern Conference White title – Chelsea Sun Times News 

9. Bowling: The Traverse City Christian girls and Cadillac boys clinched Great Northwest High School Bowling Conference championships – Traverse City Record-Eagle

10. Girls Basketball: Byron claimed its first outright league title in this sport since 1990 with a 57-25 win over New Lothrop – Mid-Michigan Now

Also of note …

Basketball: The Big Bay de Noc girls and Kinross Maplewood Baptist boys won Northern Lights League Tournament championships – Escanaba Daily Press

Basketball: Reagan Rose set a Decatur scoring record against Hartford, and Marcellus’ Kaeler Stafne and Bloomingdale’s Tyler Starbuck both went over 1,000 career points in Marcellus’ win – WWMT

Girls Basketball: Kent City clinched the Central State Activities Association Silver title with a big win over Hesperia – Local Sports Journal

Girls Basketball: Flushing earned a share of the Flint Metro League Stripes title with a 45-20 win over Swartz Creek – Mid-Michigan Now

Girls Basketball: Deckerville clinched a share of the North Central Thumb League Stars title with a big win over Mayville – Huron Daily Tribune

Hockey: Jackson Lumen Christi clinched its league title with a 2-0 win over Mattawan – Jackson Citizen Patriot

Boys Basketball: Owen Franklin went over 1,000 career points for Oscoda in its win over Hale – WBKB

Girls Basketball: Negaunee defeated Ishpeming Westwood 43-33, and Westwood’s Tessa Leece went over 1,000 career points – Marquette Mining Journal 

Girls Basketball: Algonac fell to Croswell-Lexington, but Algonac’s Emily Nugent went over 1,000 career points – Port Huron Times-Herald

Girls Basketball: From Thursday, Mackinaw City downed Burt Lake Northern Michigan Christian to clinch a second-straight Northern Lakes Conference title – Petoskey News-Review