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: 5/20/25

By Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor

May 20, 2025

1. BASEBALL Detroit Cass Tech ended Division 1 No. 10 Detroit Western’s run of 15 straight city championships with a 6-1 win in the Detroit Public School League Gold title game – Detroit Free Press

2. BASEBALL Division 2 No. 18 Flat Rock clinched a share of its first Huron League title since 1976 with a 9-0 win over Division 3 No. 20 Monroe St. Mary Catholic Central – Monroe News

3. SOFTBALL Division 3 No. 6 Millington swept Division 4 top-ranked Unionville-Sebewaing to clinch the Big Thumb Conference White title – Huron Daily Tribune

4. SOFTBALL Division 1 No. 1 Farmington Hills Mercy won its fifth-straight Catholic High School League title with a 5-0 win over Division 2 No. 4 Dearborn Divine Child in the Bishop championship game – Hometown Life

5. TRACK & FIELD Lake Linden-Hubbell swept championships at the Copper Mountain Conference championship meets – Upper Michigan’s Source

6. BOYS GOLF Warren De La Salle Collegiate – No. 4 in Lower Peninsula Division 4 – carded a 307 to claim a 10th Macomb County championship over the last 11 seasons – Macomb Daily

7. TRACK & FIELD The Gladstone girls and Marquette boys were champs at the Great Northern Conference championship meets – Upper Michigan’s Source

8. GIRLS SOCCER Ovid-Elsie downed Montrose 4-0 to secure the Mid-Michigan Activities Conference championship – Mid-Michigan Now

9. GIRLS TENNIS Bay City Western won the Bay County championship, tying Essexville Garber for most titles at the annual tournament – Bay City Times

10. BOYS GOLF Ann Arbor Pioneer and LPD2 No. 5 Chelsea won Southeastern Conference Tournament titles – Ann Arbor News

Also of note ...

SOFTBALL Division 3 honorable mention Lansing Catholic swept Ionia to earn a share of the Capital Area Activities Conference White title – Lansing State Journal