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: 12/18/19
December 18, 2019
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
The 2019 calendar year refuses to finish without making some significant early impacts on this basketball season, with Tuesday including a few that will be remembered.
1. Girls Basketball: Saginaw Swan Valley delivered Hemlock’s first regular-season season defeat in nearly two calendar years, 67-50 – Saginaw News
2. Boys Basketball: Grand Rapids Christian locked down Grand Rapids Catholic Central for a 60-54 win – FOX 17
3. Boys Basketball: Beaverton got past reigning league champ Sanford Meridian 40-38 in a matchup of the two best from the Jack Pine Conference in 2018-19 – Midland Daily News
4. Girls Basketball: Hartland slowed down Okemos for a 41-23 win – State Champs Sports Network
5. Boys Swimming & Diving: Holland West Ottawa had the top finisher in eight races on the way to a 112-72 win over Zeeland – Holland Sentinel
6. Girls Basketball: Carlee Crabtree scored her 1,000th career point as Coldwater earned its first win this season, 62-22 over Hastings – Coldwater Daily Reporter
7. Girls Basketball: Saline moved to 5-0 with a 71-24 win over Dearborn Henry Ford Academy as Ella Stemmer set a school record with eight 3-pointers – Saline Post
8. Boys Basketball: Tyson Acuff scored 44 points including the winning basket in Detroit Cass Tech’s 65-64 win over Henry Ford – Detroit News
9. Girls Basketball: Marquette held on for a low-scoring 35-32 win over Negaunee – The Upbeat
10. Girls Basketball: Morgan Case made a half-court shot at the buzzer to push Blissfield past Erie Mason 50-47 – Adrian Daily Telegram
Also of note …
State Champs Sports Network produced its MHSAA Finals shows for Volleyball, Girls Swimming & Diving and Football