2025-26 Boys Basketball Preview: Ironton bonds building to court success

Ironton’s new season will start with a new coach, but he’s not a new face.

Andrew Stevens has been part of the Tigers’ program for some time, but is now stepping up to lead the varsity squad.

“It’s been a change from where I’ve taken over the head coaching job,” Stevens said. “It’s been a blessing to have this opportunity and to be able to coach these young men again. I’ve known most of them since they were little kids, so the transition’s been very easy.”

Stevens already has a bond with many of the players, which has made the transition that much easier.

“The first year I got involved was about six years ago and I coached the seventh-grade team down in junior high,” Stevens said. “And we had pretty good success; we won the tournament. Now, in my first year coaching varsity, and those kids are seniors. So, it’s kind of come full circle, and I’m blessed to be able to coach those young men because I have a lot of good relationships with them.”

Stevens won’t be the only familiar face, as Ashton Layne, who averaged 10.1 ppg last season, returns. The only caveat? He’s the only returning starter.

“I only have one returning starter,” Stevens said. “We had six seniors last year who graduated, so we have a lot of very capable young men who are being put in new roles to step in and be starters. I think that’s different, going from being a role player to a starter and taking on that responsibility. That’s the biggest hurdle we face.”

Stevens sees a few other teammates joining Layne as leaders on this team.

“Ashton Layne, Bryson Mullins, and Carson Freeman. … Those three stand out to me big time,” Stevens said. “Those have been guys that I’ve been around and coached for the past few years. and then also, Zayne Williams is another one. Those guys are great leaders on and off the floor. It’s really easy when you have guys like that.”

“We traveled a lot this summer,” Stevens said. “We played a pretty tough schedule this summer to become acclimated, to get ready for the season. I think that, where we were, you know, starting three weeks ago and where we’ll finish, hopefully in March, is what we’re focused on.”

Stevens is excited for the season, in particular, the journey.

“I just think the journey of it,” Stevens said. “I think where you start and where you end for me is very big. I know that’s kind of the cliché statement, but we’ve always been a very successful football school, and I’m hoping to transfer that over into the basketball court.”

If the Tigers make some noise in the postseason this year, Stevens believes it’ll be because of togetherness and defense.

“The family atmosphere and defense are what we will base everything on this season,” Stevens said. “We have a family atmosphere; we’re very together, we stick together. Hard work. I think defense will be the key for us this year. Defensively, I think we have to focus on that.

“And, outside of that, I just think that with the family atmosphere that we’ve built, a lot of these guys have been around each other for a long time,” Stevens added. “Again, it makes it easier to coach when you have those types of guys.”