Breslin Bound: 2025-26 Girls Report Post-Break
By
Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor
January 5, 2026
Holiday break is over, and school is back in session – and the great majority of Michigan’s high school girls basketball teams will be through the first quarter of their seasons by the end of this week.
There’s plenty to catch up on from the last two, so we’ll jump right in with our first “Breslin Bound” report of the 2026 calendar year.
“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. Grand Rapids West Catholic 54, Tecumseh 52 The Falcons (6-1) avenged their 54-44 loss to Tecumseh (6-1) in last season’s Division 2 championship game.
2. Rockford 52, Howell 36 The Rams (5-1) handed the Highlanders (6-1) their lone loss this season in a semifinal of their Cornerstone University Holiday Classic Gold bracket.
3. Freeland 57, Hemlock 43 The Falcons moved to 3-2 at the Huskie Holiday Classic in handing host Hemlock (6-1) its only defeat.
4. Niles Brandywine 60, Kent City 42 These two were undefeated when they met Dec. 30 at Kalamazoo College, and Brandywine remains 5-0 while Kent City is 4-2.
5. Tecumseh 41, Detroit Edison 28 Although Tecumseh did finish holiday break with a loss, it started with this notable win over Edison (4-3) at the Detroit Renaissance Phoenix Classic.
Watch List
With an eye toward March, here are two teams in each division making sparks:
DIVISION 1
Belleville (5-0) The reigning Division 1 champion Tigers defeated host Detroit Renaissance at the Phoenix Classic at the start of break and followed that up with their most impressive victory to date – a 65-50 win over Indianapolis Lawrence Central, arguably the top team in Indiana after winning a state championship in 2024 and finishing 22-2 a year ago. Belleville finished 28-1 last season, and will have a chance to avenge that lone loss a second time when it travels to Wayne Memorial on Jan. 16.
Wayne Memorial (5-0) The Zebras also own a win over Renaissance and have allowed only Muskegon to come within double digits, downing the Big Reds 55-48 at the West Michigan Hoop Summit at Aquinas College. Wayne and Belleville both play in the Kensington Lakes Activities Association East and will see each other twice, and the Zebras nearly made it a third time last winter falling a win shy as their playoff run ended in the Division 1 Semifinals.
DIVISION 2
Grand Rapids South Christian (6-0) The Sailors defeated Coopersville and Muskegon Reeths-Puffer in Cornerstone University Holiday Classic games, the latest victories from a start that’s seen every win by double digits and the closest 10-pointers over Hudsonville Unity Christian and Holland Christian. South Christian finished 24-3 a year ago with two losses to Grand Rapids West Catholic – Tuesday’s opponent – including by two points in a season-ending Quarterfinal.
Negaunee (7-0) This team surely entered this winter extra motivated after suffering its only loss last season in a District Final. The highlight of the Miners’ strong start arguably has been a 45-39 win over reigning Division 4 runner-up Ewen-Trout Creek as part of Negaunee’s Irontown Holiday Bash. The Miners had defeated Kingsford the day before, and have won the rest of their games this winter by at least 11 points.
DIVISION 3
Jackson Lumen Christi (5-1) The Titans defeated Detroit Edison 50-49 on Saturday at the Detroit Cass Tech Showcase to add to an impressive start that’s also included double-digit wins over Michigan Center, Salem, Ann Arbor Father Gabriel Richard and Mio. All but Salem currently have winning records, and Salem is 4-4. The only loss under first-year coach Scott Stine – who led Ypsilanti Arbor Prep to last year’s Division 3 title – came against Ohio’s Whitehouse Anthony Wayne, an Ohio state runner-up last season.
Union City (7-0) The Chargers already have surpassed last season’s 6-17 finish, avenging last-winter losses to Napoleon, Homer and a pair to Springport. Last year did provide a sign of improvement – Union City won more than four games for the first time since 2017-18 – and these first four weeks of 2025-26 could be signaling a big jump in process. Five of these first seven wins came by double digits.
DIVISION 4
Baraga (6-0) A pair of 12-point wins over L’Anse and Houghton have been the toughest challenges so far for the Vikings, who are seeking to advance past their District this season for the first time since finishing Division 4 runner-up in 2022-23. On Thursday they’ll face Hancock, which ended Baraga’s season at 16-7 last March. A trip to Ewen-Trout Creek on Jan. 13 could decide the Copper Mountain Conference title, as Baraga finished second and a game back of E-TC a year ago.
Petersburg Summerfield (7-0) Summerfield tied for second in the Tri-County Conference last season and ended its playoff run at 17-7 with a District loss to TCC champion Morenci – but will get its first opportunity to avenge last winter’s three losses to Morenci on Thursday at home. The only single-digit wins so far this winter came against Division 1 Ann Arbor Skyline and Monroe, and the Bulldogs also see Division 1 Allen Park on Tuesday before hosting their league rival.
Can’t-Miss Contests
Be on the lookout for results of these games coming up:
Monday – Pewamo-Westphalia (4-0) at Flint Powers Catholic (5-1) – Powers is coming off its first loss, but can rebound quickly by avenging last year’s 53-50 loss to the Pirates.
Tuesday – Grand Rapids West Catholic (6-1) at Grand Rapids South Christian (6-0) – These two shared the Ottawa-Kent Conference Gold title last season, and West Catholic won their third meeting in a Division 2 Quarterfinal.
Tuesday – Orchard Lake St. Mary’s (5-1) at Warren Regina (7-0) – St. Mary’s was a co-champion in the Catholic High School League Central West last season and Regina looks like one of the contenders this winter.
Wednesday – Evart (4-0) at McBain (4-0) – These two are tied early atop the Highland Conference after Evart finished first and McBain tied for second last season.
Friday – Ishpeming (5-0) at Negaunee (7-0) – These two look like the top contenders again in the Western Peninsula Athletic Conference East after Negaunee won it and Ishpeming was second a year ago.
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PHOTOS (Top) Livonia Stevenson’s Bella Sapia (23) drives into the lane during her team’s win over Berkley on Dec. 23. (Middle) Negaunee's Clare O'Donnell looks for an open teammate during her team’s Dec. 19 win over Ishpeming Westwood. (Stevenson/Berkley photo by Douglas Bargerstock. Negaunee/Westwood photo by Cara Kamps.)
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.)