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: 10/7/24

By Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor

October 8, 2024

1. CROSS COUNTRY The Romeo (No. 1 in Lower Peninsula Division 1), Zeeland East (No. 2 in LPD2), Pewamo-Westphalia (No. 1 in LPD3) and Whitmore Lake (No. 1 in LPD4) girls, and Northville (No. 1 in LPD1), Allendale (No. 1 in LPD2), Jackson Lumen Christi (No. 2 in LPD3) and Hillsdale Academy (No. 1 in LPD4) boys were champions at the Portage Invitational, annually one of the most competitive regular-season series of races – Athletic.net

2. CROSS COUNTRY The LPD1 No. 9 Rochester girls and No. 7 Clarkston boys were Oakland County champions, with Rochester’s Lucy Cook becoming a four-time individual champion – Oakland Press | Athletic.net

3. GIRLS SWIMMING & DIVING LPD2 top-ranked Farmington Hills Mercy repeated as the Oakland County champion – Oakland Press

4. BOYS TENNIS LPD4 top-ranked Holland Christian won the Ottawa-Kent Conference Green Tournament – Holland Sentinel

5. BOYS TENNIS Holland West Ottawa won the O-K Red Tournament championship, splitting the overall league title with Rockford – Holland Sentinel

6. VOLLEYBALL Kent City won every set in clinching its Dig Pink Invitational title – Local Sports Journal

7. VOLLEYBALL Milan improved to 24-2 with its championship at the New Lothrop Invitational – Chelsea Sun Times News

8. GIRLS SWIMMING & DIVING Macomb Dakota repeated as Macomb County champion – Macomb Daily

9. VOLLEYBALL Division 4 No. 7 Crystal Falls Forest Park edged Escanaba 25-22, 25-23, in the title match to clinch the Elks Invitational – Iron Mountain Daily News

10. VOLLEYBALL Division 3 honorable mention Bronson swept all five of its matches including its final against Colon to win its Polish Classic – Coldwater Daily Reporter