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: 2/5/20

February 5, 2020

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

Every basketball game is carrying more importance this season with the addition of limited seeding at the District level, and Tuesday saw a bunch that impacted rankings, standings or featured significant individual milestones.

1. Girls Basketball: Michigan Center avenged a December loss with a 65-55 win over Division 3 title contender Grass Lake – Jackson Citizen Patriot

2. Girls Basketball: Grosse Pointe South reshuffled the Macomb Area Conference Red standings, moving into first place with a 50-47 win over previous leader Macomb Dakota – Macomb Daily

3. Boys Basketball: Kalamazoo Central delivered Portage Central’s first loss this winter, 66-44 – FOX 17

4. Boys Swimming & Diving: Zeeland – an honorable mention in Lower Peninsula Division 1 – swam past LPD3 No. 6 Hamilton 103-83 – Holland Sentinel

5. Girls Basketball: Saginaw Heritage earned a 40-36 road win at Freeland – Midland Daily News

6. Boys Basketball: Ke’ontae Barnes’ buzzer beater helped Muskegon Orchard View deliver a second defeat to Fremont, 63-60 – Local Sports Journal

7. Boys Basketball: Undefeated Bridgeport ended Flint Southwestern’s 10-game winning streak, 60-56 – Flint Journal

8. Girls Basketball: Coldwater came back from a 14-point second-half deficit to get past Three Rivers 62-58 in overtime – Coldwater Daily Reporter

9. Hockey: Chelsea moved into a first-place tie in the Southeastern Conference White thanks to a 4-3 win over Saline – Chelsea Sun Times News

10. Boys Basketball: Carney-Nadeau earned an important 53-52 overtime win over Powers North Central – Escanaba Daily Press

Also of note …

Girls Basketball: Makenna Bryant qualified for the MHSAA record book with nine 3-pointers as Cadillac won big over Manistee – Cadillac News

Boys Basketball: Ishpeming held on for an 88-83 win over Houghton despite 63 points by Brad Simonsen – The Upbeat

Girls Basketball: Faith Guritz reached 1,000 career points in Martin’s 58-33 win over Delton Kellogg – Kalamazoo Gazette

Boys Basketball: Menalito McGee went over 1,000 career points in Wyoming’s 61-56 win over Grand Rapids Forest Hills Central – FOX 17

Boys Basketball: Gavin Fisher scored a school-record 39 points in Fruitport’s 67-56 win over Holton – Grand Haven Tribune