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: 9/11/24

By Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor

September 11, 2024

1. BOYS SOCCER Division 1 No. 7 Troy Athens downed No. 4 Rochester Adams 2-0 in a matchup of top teams in the Oakland Activities Association Red and statewide – Oakland Press

2. VOLLEYBALL Keira Krans reached 2,000 career assists during Saginaw Heritage’s sweep of Midland Dow – WNEM

3. BOYS SOCCER Mason Mather scored five goals as Division 3 No. 4 Flint Powers Catholic held off Detroit Catholic Central 6-4 – WJRT

4. VOLLEYBALL Bronson swept Division 4 No. 9 Reading in a Big 8 Conference opener – Coldwater Daily Reporter

5. BOYS SOCCER Dearborn Divine Child also downed a highly-ranked opponent, Division 2 No. 3 Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook Kingswood 4-1 – Dearborn Press & Guide

6. BOYS SOCCER Kalamazoo Loy Norrix won a matchup of now one-loss teams, downing Kalamazoo Central 5-0 – Kalamazoo Gazette

7. CROSS COUNTRY Benzie Central swept victories at the first Northwest Conference jamboree; the Benzie girls are ranked No. 7 in Lower Peninsula Division 3, and the boys are No. 10 – Traverse City Record-Eagle

8. VOLLEYBALL Zeeland East edged rival West by the slimmest of margins in the fourth set to clinch a 3-1 win – Holland Sentinel

9. CROSS COUNTRY The Bay City Western girls and LPD1 honorable mention Midland boys won at the first Saginaw Valley League jamboree – Midland Dow

10. VOLLEYBALL Division 4 No. 7 Mendon improved to 12-1-1 with a three-set win over Colon – Sturgis Journal