Linked Up: 12/19/11

December 19, 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: 5/29/25

By Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor

May 29, 2025

1. GIRLS GOLF Escanaba and Ontonagon both swept team and individual titles at their respectively Upper Peninsula Finals – MHSAA.com Division 1 | Division 3

2. BOYS GOLF Marquette repeated in Division 1 and Powers North Central repeated in Division 3 at their Upper Peninsula Finals – MHSAA.com Division 1 | Division 3

3. BOYS TENNIS Marquette in Division 1 and West Iron County in Division 2 claimed Upper Peninsula Finals championships – MyUPNow Division 1 | Upper Michigan’s Source Division 2

4. BOYS LACROSSE Birmingham United followed Brody Feldmaier to an 11-5 win over Livonia United to clinch a Division 1 Regional title – Oakland Press

5. BOYS LACROSSE Grand Ledge edged Holt 13-9 in Division 1 to secure a fourth-straight Division 1 Regional championship – WLNS

6. BOYS LACROSSE Brighton finished a third-straight Division 1 Regional title run with a 12-7 win over South Lyon – Livingston Daily Press & Argus

7. BOYS LACROSSE Lake Orion downed Macomb Dakota 9-4 to clinch a Division 1 Regional title – Oakland Press

8. BOYS LACROSSE Haslet downed Saginaw Heritage 18-2 to claim a Division 2 Regional title – WILX

9. GIRLS SOCCER South Lyon East advanced to a Division 1 District Final with a six-round shootout win over South Lyon High – Oakland Press

10. GIRLS SOCCER No. 6 Frankenmuth advanced in Division 3 with a 2-1 District win over Flint Powers Catholic – WNEM

Also of note …

BASEBALL Midland athletic director, baseball coach and MHSAA Representative Council president Eric Albright will be leaving at the end of the school year for a job in his home state of Minnesota – Midland Daily News