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: 1/21/20
January 21, 2020
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
Major matchups at basketball events honoring Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s memory made for a highlight-filled weekend and Monday across Michigan, and girls basketball, wrestling, competitive cheer, hockey and boys swimming & diving also contributed headliners as teams braved the mid-January weather.
1. Boys Basketball: Division 3 Flint Beecher downed Division 1 Orchard Lake St. Mary’s 70-61 in a matchup of MHSAA championship contenders – State Champs Sports Network
2. Girls Basketball: Howell handed Brighton its first loss, 43-41, with Maeve St. John connecting on two last-minute free throws – Livingston Daily Press & Argus
3. Wrestling: Division 4 No. 7 Hart defeated No. 6 Leroy Pine River 40-20 in the championship match of the Fallen Bucks Memorial Tournament – Cadillac News
4. Boys Basketball: Grand Rapids Christian remained undefeated with a 66-64 win over Wyoming, which also was unbeaten entering the contest – WOOD TV
5. Girls Basketball: Reeya Patel’s basket with 2.5 seconds to play pushed Ann Arbor Huron past previously-undefeated Temperance Bedford 53-51 – State Champs Sports Network
6. Boys Swimming & Diving: Midland Dow – No. 8 in Lower Peninsula Division 2 – locked up its 18th-straight Tri-Cities championship, nearly doubling up the field – Midland Daily News
7. Boys Basketball: Detroit Martin Luther King got past Detroit Douglass 55-46 in a matchup of two more Finals hopefuls – Detroit Free Press
8. Boys Basketball: Emoni Bates led Ypsilanti Lincoln on a 13-2 run to close a 75-68 win over Detroit Edison – Detroit News
9. Hockey: Division 3 No. 10 Grand Rapids Forest Hills Central avenged a late December loss to rival Forest Hills Northern/Eastern, winning this time 3-1 – FOX 17
10. Cheer: Stevensville Lakeshore won the Division 2 and overall championships at the Coloma Invitational – St. Joseph Herald-Palladium
Also of note …
Girls Basketball: Although Niles fell to St. Joseph 59-54, Alycia Patterson went over 1,000 career points – Niles Daily Star
Boys Basketball: Reese Hazelton scored his 1,000th career point on a game-winner to lead Maple City Glen Lake past Saginaw Heritage 51-49 – Traverse City Record-Eagle
Girls Basketball: Elise Besonen also went over 1,000 career points in leading Ewen-Trout Creek past Ontonagon – The Upbeat