Breslin Bound: 2023-24 Girls Report Week 7
By
Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor
January 22, 2024
The second half of this girls basketball regular season is upon us, and with it several teams are finding their ways into our “Breslin Bound” conversation.
The biggest headliner of last week certainly was East Kentwood, and we explain why below. The Falcons have just one loss this winter, but 19 teams have reached this point without experiencing defeat – and we discuss five of those as well, along with others continuing to emerge with six weeks remaining until the start of District play.
“Breslin Bound” is powered by MI Student Aid and based on results and schedules posted for each school at MHSAA.com.
Week in Review
The countdown of last week’s five most intriguing results:
1. East Kentwood 60, Rockford 54 The Falcons (10-1) handed reigning Division 1 champion Rockford (10-1) its first loss since Dec. 22, 2022, breaking the Rams’ 33-game winning streak and taking over first place alone in the Ottawa-Kent Conference Red.
2. Portage Central 54, Stevensville Lakeshore 44 The Mustangs (9-0) won this matchup of undefeated teams to move a game ahead of Lakeshore (8-1) in the Southwestern Michigan Athletic Conference West standings.
3. Goodrich 44, Lake Fenton 36 The Martians (11-0) remained perfect and further avenged last season’s three regular-season losses to reigning Flint Metro League Stars and overall champion Lake Fenton (8-4).
4. Frankfort 59, St. Ignace 45 The Panthers (8-3) crossed the Bridge and won St. Ignace’s B.C. Pizza Classic, defeating the Saints (9-3) in the final after downing Menominee on Friday to advance.
5. Freeland 67, Chelsea 61 Freeland’s Falcons (9-1) won a matchup of Division 2 hopefuls, avenging last season’s 58-52 loss to the Bulldogs (8-3).
Watch List
With an eye toward March, here are two teams in each division making sparks:
DIVISION 1
Detroit Renaissance (12-0) Coming off last season’s 23-2 finish and run to the Division 1 Semifinals, Renaissance has raced back into contention with an early 53-46 win over reigning Division 2 champion Lansing Catholic and victories over Romulus and Detroit Country Day also among the most impressive. The Phoenix downed Muskegon 65-43 on Saturday and can clinch at least a share of the Detroit Public School League Blue title in its next game, next Monday against Detroit Cass Tech.
Rochester Hills Stoney Creek (9-0) With five of six teams in the Oakland Activities Association Red at 6-4 or better, and reigning Division 1 runner-up West Bloomfield sharing the league lead, Stoney Creek’s start is even more impressive. But the Cougars put themselves in this conversation a few seasons ago and have built on last year’s 17-7 run with victories over nine-win Romeo and Clarkston and by handing Royal Oak its lone loss. The first meeting with West Bloomfield comes up Jan. 30.
DIVISION 2
Adrian Madison (9-2) The Trojans moved into Division 2 this season after several in Division 3, and also switched to the Lenawee County Athletic Association from the Tri-County Conference. So far, so very good, as Madison already has bettered last season’s 7-15 record and sits just a half-game behind Blissfield in the league standings with their first of two meetings coming up Tuesday. What’s more, all but one of Madison’s opponents has a winning record or would if not for losing to the Trojans.
Paw Paw (8-1) The Red Wolves have finished second in the Wolverine Conference the last two seasons but could be the team to chase this winter. They defeated reigning champion Vicksburg 60-50 in their second game this season, which remains the Bulldogs’ only loss. Paw Paw did follow up that win with an 87-85 double-overtime loss to Edwardsburg, but the Red Wolves came back to defeat the Eddies 58-53 last week and then handed Otsego its first conference loss Friday, 55-39. Paw Paw plays Vicksburg again Feb. 2.
DIVISION 3
Kalamazoo Christian (8-1) Last season’s 22-4 run included a perfect 10-0 record in the Southwestern Athletic Conference Valley, and the Comets are halfway to repeating the latter accomplishment as they sit in first, one game ahead of rival Kalamazoo Hackett Catholic Prep. Christian’s only loss was 68-44 to Grand Rapids Covenant Christian on Jan. 5 in their first game after break, and Martin and Grand Rapids NorthPointe Christian are among upcoming opponents that should give the Comets similar tests as they ready for an intriguing postseason.
Ypsilanti Arbor Prep (8-2) Arbor Prep’s opponents have won 78.4 percent of their games this season, and yet Arbor Prep has bested that with losses only to undefeated Ann Arbor Father Gabriel Richard and one-loss Jackson Northwest. The Gators handed the only defeat to Flint Powers Catholic, 51-43, and as usual for the Division 3 contenders have a schedule loaded with challenges the rest of the way including undefeated Detroit Edison. Only one of Arbor Prep’s final 12 regular-season opponents doesn’t have a winning record at this point.
DIVISION 4
Gobles (6-3) As we move toward the midway point of the regular season for most of the state’s girls teams, Gobles ranks high in Division 4 Michigan Power Rating in part because of good losses to SAC Central rivals Martin and Saugatuck, both 8-1, and with its third defeat coming from Kalamazoo Christian (see above). Gobles also has defeated Hackett and opened the season with a 52-39 win over Watervliet, which ended the Tigers’ 2022-23 in the District. The Saugatuck rematch comes up Friday, and the second meeting with Martin is Feb. 2.
Portland St. Patrick (7-2) The Shamrocks have loaded the schedule again this winter, taking a loss to 2023 Division 2 semifinalist Grand Rapids West Catholic but handing Division 3 Ovid-Elsie its first defeat last week 51-45. St. Patrick followed the latter with a 56-33 win over reigning Central Michigan Athletic Conference champion Dansville. The Shamrocks also fell to one-loss Fowler 69-63 on Dec. 14, and that rematch is coming up Feb. 2 – but they certainly will be dialed in first for Wednesday’s home game against undefeated Bath, which with Fowler leads the CMAC this winter.
Can’t-Miss Contests
Be on the lookout for results of these games coming up:
Thursday – Harbor Beach (10-1) at Sandusky (10-1) – These two are first and second, respectively, in the Greater Thumb Conference East, after Harbor Beach won the first meeting 30-26 on Jan. 2.
Friday – East Kentwood (10-1) at Grand Haven (10-1) – They join Rockford at 10-1 overall and as noted above, East Kentwood defeated Rockford last week to move into first alone in the O-K Red.
Friday – Fowler (9-1) at Bath (8-0) – Both are undefeated in CMAC play heading into their first of two meetings, the second set for Feb. 27.
Friday – Frankenmuth (8-2) at Freeland (9-1) – The Eagles hold a one-game edge in the Tri-Valley Conference Red thanks to their 53-51 win over the Falcons on Dec. 8.
Saturday – Rockford (10-1) vs. Lansing Catholic (7-3) at Calvin University – The reigning Division 1 and 2 champions, respectively, meet in the 6 p.m. game at the Calvin University Showcase.
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PHOTOS (Top) Otsego's Tessa Prough (31) puts up a shot during her team's 61-31 win over Sturgis last week. (Middle) A Clare player gets to the basket during her team's 51-36 win over Ithaca. (Top photo by Gary Shook; middle photo by High School Sports Scene.)
With Hodos Again Showing the Way, Pittsford Primed for Another Title Chase
By
Doug Donnelly
Special for MHSAA.com
February 26, 2025
Becky Hodos waited about an hour before she called her husband, Chris.
“I know. I saw it,” he said when he answered the phone.
“I think you should take it,” Becky responded.
The two were discussing a Facebook post in October in which Pittsford announced it was looking for a varsity girls basketball head coach.
“They posted it on the Pittsford Facebook page at 8:30 in the morning,” Hodos said. “I had eight or nine calls by 10 o’clock. Then my wife called.”
Chris Hodos indeed applied, interviewed and got the job as the Pittsford girls basketball coach, returning to a job he thrived before stepping away five years ago. The results have been eerily similar to before.
The Wildcats are 21-0, ranked among the top Division 4 teams in the state and about to start what Hodos hopes is another long tournament run.
“I really didn’t know what to expect from the girls,” Hodos said. “I’ve been away from it. I wasn’t paying very close attention.”
Everyone is paying attention to Pittsford now. The Wildcats have already clinched the Southern Central Athletic Association East championship and are one of just two undefeated teams remaining in Division 4. They are the top seed in next week’s District at Reading.
“There is little doubt having Chris back on the sideline was a good thing,” Pittsford athletic director Mike Burger said. “Our community loves our kids and the effort they put into everything they do. Chris brings energy every day, so I know they are happy with the swagger he brings.
“(Plus) I thought it was good for him,” Burger said. “He just seemed a little withdrawn. Coaching helped bring his fire back.”
Hodos stepped aside after the 2018-19 season. His son was about to play college baseball in northwest Ohio, and he planned on relaxing and watching baseball. He had been coaching football, basketball and baseball at Pittsford.
“No one believed me when I said I was stepping away,” he said.
The Wildcats went to three Class D Finals in a row from 2015-2017 under Hodos, winning championships in 2016 and 2017. If Pittsford defeats Waldron on Thursday, it will be the sixth time in his nine seasons as head coach that the Wildcats have gone unbeaten during the regular season.
Pittsford has had some close calls this season but has found a way to come back even from double-digit deficits in multiple games.
“When you have the best player on the court every night, that helps,” Hodos said.
His best player is Grand Valley State University signee Ava Mallar. She is a four-year starter who is just shy of 1,600 career points, and played significant roles as Pittsford won 18 games each of the last three seasons.
“I honestly was pretty shocked on how well we are doing,” Mallar said. “We lost two seniors, one of which put up a lot of points. I wasn’t expecting this. It’s been awesome. Beating Reading after losing to them twice last year was really good.”
Mallar was a student manager for Pittsford and Hodos years ago.
“I was the manager when he coached my older sister,” she said. “He worked well with our last coach (Aaron Davis). So, when he came, the expectations were the same and practices were sort of the same.”
Hodos also was familiar with Mallar in another way. His day job is as a salesman at Frank Beck Chevrolet in Hillsdale. He sold Mallar a car a couple of years ago.
“He has a good relationship with our whole family,” Mallar said.
Hodos is highly complimentary of his lead scorer.
“She’s the real deal,” he said. “Against Saline (Washtenaw) Christian she had 17 points in the fourth quarter and we came back from 10 points down. She had 27 of our 37 against Reading.”
Mallar said she elevated her game against Washtenaw Christian.
“There’s a point where I know where I have to step up,” she said. “The best part of my game is when I am driving to the basket and making people guard me and creating shots for my teammates. I knew I had to take over if we were going to pull it off.”
Mallar had a triple-double earlier this season and came within two assists of a quadruple-double.
“I honestly thought I had a horrible game, then I found out I had a triple-double. I guess it wasn’t too bad,” she said.
While Hodos has built the team around his star senior, he is also building for the future. Two Wildcats starters are freshmen and two more freshmen come off the bench. He said he is planning to stay at least five years this time around.
“Mike (Burger) asked me if this was just for one year,” he said. “I said, ‘No, I’ll stay five.’ I might stay longer. We’ll see.”
Doug Donnelly has served as a news and sports reporter at the Adrian Daily Telegram and the Monroe News for 30 years, including 10 years as city editor in Monroe. He's written a book on high school basketball in Monroe County and compiles record books for various schools in southeast Michigan. He is now publisher and editor of The Blissfield Advance, a weekly newspaper. E-mail him at [email protected] with story ideas for Jackson, Washtenaw, Hillsdale, Lenawee and Monroe counties.
PHOTOS (Top) Chris Hodos (left of scorer’s table) coaches his Pittsford girls basketball team this season. (Middle) Ava Mallar sets up for a free throw against Reading. (Photos by Joe Flaherty/Hillsdale Daily News.)