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: 11/11/24

By Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor

November 11, 2024

1. VOLLEYBALL Bay City Western came back after losing the first set to defeat Saginaw Heritage in Division 1 and clinch its first District title in this sport since the final winter season in 2007 – Bay City Times

2. GIRLS SWIMMING & DIVING Allen Park clinched the outright championship in the Downriver League with a victory at the conference meet – Southgate News-Herald

3. GIRLS SWIMMING & DIVING Grosse Pointe South – No. 4 in Lower Peninsula Division 2 – in the Red, Fraser in the White, Clinton Township Chippewa Valley in the Blue, Utica Ford in the Gold and Warren Cousino in the Silver claimed Macomb Area Conference championship meet titles – Macomb Daily

4. GIRLS SWIMMING & DIVING LPD1 No. 3 Northville cruised to the win at the Kensington Lakes Activities Association meet – Livingston Daily Press & Argus

5. VOLLEYBALL Hancock came back from two sets down to defeat Lake Linden-Hubbell in five in a Division 4 District Final – Houghton Daily Mining Gazette

6. GIRLS SWIMMING & DIVING LPD1 top-ranked Ann Arbor Pioneer won seven individual titles in claiming the Southeastern Conference Red meet championship – Ann Arbor News

7. GIRLS SWIMMING & DIVING Traverse City Tritons claimed their fourth-straight Coastal Conference title – Traverse City Record-Eagle

8. VOLLEYBALL Honorable mention Essexville Garber downed honorable mention Freeland in four sets to earn a Division 2 District title – Bay City Times

9. VOLLEYBALL No. 6 Traverse City St. Francis claimed a Division 3 District Final sweep over No. 7 Elk Rapids – Traverse City Record-Eagle

10. GIRLS SWMMING & DIVING LPD3 No. 8 Chelsea claimed its fourth-straight SEC White championship – Chelsea Sun Times News

Also of note …

GIRLS SWIMMING & DIVING LPD2 No. 6 Midland Dow claimed another Saginaw Valley League meet championship – Midland Daily News

GIRLS SWIMMING & DIVING LPD1 No. 4 Rockford was first and No. 10 Grand Haven second at the Ottawa-Kent Conference Red meet – Grand Haven Tribune

GIRLS SWIMMING & DIVING Bay City John Glenn clinched the championship in the Independent Swim Conference – Bay City Times

GIRLS SWIMMING & DIVING LPD1 honorable mention Kalamazoo Loy Norrix won the Southwestern Michigan Athletic Conference meet title – Battle Creek Enquirer

GIRLS SWIMMING & DIVING LPD3 honorable mention Allegan edged Sturgis to win the Southwestern & Central Conference meet – Sturgis Journal

GIRLS SWIMMING & DIVING LPD3 No. 5 Hudsonville Unity Christian finished first in the O-K Lakeshore, and LPD2 No. 2 Jenison won the O-K White meet – Holland Sentinel