Amanda Whitaker
REYNOLDS – Amanda Whitaker is sliding over one seat on the bench.
Ryan Stevens will be going on just a tad later than he’s accustomed to.
Reynolds announced two new basketball coaches on Thursday who need no introduction to their players.
Stevens, 34, who has been the Buncombe County school’s girls coach for the past three years, is now taking over the boys program. Whitaker will get her first head-coaching opportunity with the girls — the 2007 Rockets graduate was one of Stevens’ assistants for the past three years.
“I’m thrilled to be the coach at a place where I used to play,” Whitaker said.
“We’ve got a good group of girls coming up and we won’t have any seniors (on the 2016-17 team). I’m excited about the future.”
Ryan Stevens
Stevens is a West Virginia native and former Mars Hill football player. He compiled a 38-36 record in his three seasons with the Reynolds girls. They were 15-11 last winter and the runner-up in the Mountain Athletic Conference’s 3-A division.
Stevens replaces Clint Loftin, who had been the coach for the Rockets boys since 2012. They were one of Western North Carolina basketball’s top Cinderella stories this past season.
Reynolds (16-12) was the third-place team in the MAC 3-A division and lost its last three regular-season games. However, the Rockets went on to win the MAC 3-A tournament and their first state playoff games in more than a decade.
“You have to give credit where credit is due,” Stevens said.
“Coach Loftin has been a great mentor for me and I am going to try and carry on what he built. On one side there is heartache (with leaving the girls program behind) and on the other there is exuberance about this new challenge. I feel like I am home. Our juniors know what it takes and we’re going to try to keep carrying on the tradition.”
Loftin said Thursday that he has resigned from coaching and teaching to pursue a small-business startup.
“As much as I would like to remain in my present role, I feel like the kids need that presence on an everyday basis,” Loftin said.
“I feel really good about where the program is at, and I like the fact that it is keeping some stability with (Stevens) as coach. I love Reynolds and everyone was very supportive throughout my career. I look forward to following the team. And I really enjoy the process of mentoring young men so I am sure that I’ll get back into it at some point.”
Reynolds remains the last Buncombe County boys basketball program to win a public-school state championship in the sport (NCHSAA 4-A in 1988). The girls raised a 4-A banner in 2000.
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