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: 12/16/19
December 16, 2019
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
Early-season showcases this weekend in ice hockey and girls basketball gave us a few ideas of how some of the best stack up as the start of the holiday invitational schedule nears.
1. Hockey: Division 2 top-ranked Bloomfield Hills Brother Rice ended No. 3 Hartland’s 14-game winning streak going back to last season, 4-2 at the MIHL/KLAA Showcase – Observer & Eccentric
2. Girls Basketball: Detroit Renaissance capitalized on 28 turnovers in getting past East Kentwood 49-47 at the Best of Michigan Classic – State Champs Sports Network
3. Girls Basketball: Reigning Division 4 champion Adrian Lenawee Christian earned a big win against a much bigger opponent, 61-40 over Kalamazoo Central also at Best of Michigan – State Champs Sports Network
4. Hockey: No. 2 Livonia Stevenson earned a 2-1 win over No. 4 Trenton at the MIHL/KLAA Showcase – Observer & Eccentric
5. Hockey: Division 1 top-ranked Detroit Catholic Central surged to a 7-0 win over No. 5 Brighton at the MIHL/KLAA Showcase – Observer & Eccentric
6. Hockey: Division 1 No. 2 Salem extended its winning streak to five with a 3-2 win over No. 4 Orchard Lake St. Mary’s at the MIHL/KLAA Showcase – Observer & Eccentric
7. Gymnastics: Escanaba edged Marquette by slightly more than two points to win the Elks Invitational – Escanaba Daily Press
8. Wrestling: Division 2 No. 2 Gaylord dominated at the Romeo Invitational with wins by at least 21 points over all four opponents – Gaylord Herald Times
9. Wrestling: Petoskey won individual titles at eight weights on the way to the team championship at the Owosso Invitational – Petoskey News-Review
10. Girls Bowling: Midland Bullock Creek swept St. Louis and Saginaw Valley Lutheran to run its Tri-Valley Conference match winning streak to 30 – Midland Daily News
Also of note …
Boys Basketball: Although his team fell to North Muskegon 63-51, Mason County Central’s Jeffery Carrier went over 1,000 career points – Ludington Daily News
Boys Basketball: Fife Lake Forest Area’s Chase Ingersoll also went over 1,000 points with 19 in an 84-58 win over Big Rapids Crossroads – Traverse City Record-Eagle