The Alcovy Tigers boys basketball team is officially a program on the rise.

After years of disappointing seasons – including a winless season in 2014-15 – the Tigers went 14-13 in the 2023-24 season, their first winning record since 2011-12.

The Tigers started the season with a rampant pace, going 4-0 in their first four games. In total, they went 11-2 in non-region play. However, a 3-11 region slate dashed their hopes of making the state playoffs.

Head coach Taylor Jackson, who is entering his second season, is determined that history will not repeat itself. After coming in late last season, this was Jackson’s first full offseason with the program. The young and ambitious head coach determined what the team would focus on to elevate the team once again.

“Our emphasis this preseason has been our physicality and toughness,” Jackson said. “We really want to up our mental toughness, our physical toughness and I think preseason practices have helped us in that.”

Now the challenge for Jackson and company will be to put the pieces together to accompany the increased intensity. Part of doing so will include a slightly reimagined team. 

Departing the team was class of 2024 forward Tim Walls and class of 2025 6’6” center Tim Griffin, who is expected to play NCAA D-I football at either Cincinnati, Ole Miss or Florida State as of this writing. The team also lost Andre Jernigan, a first team All-Cov News guard who transferred to Morrow.

Filling the void in the trenches will be Kellin Hendrix, who is expected to start at center this season, according to Jackson. Senior forward Devin Driver and junior forward Adarian Johnson – who was promoted from the junior varsity team – are expected to fill big roles as well. 

Jackson said he is eager to see how this will translate to the in-game action.

“We have really good pieces underneath now, they’re just untested,” Jackson said. “What can those guys do underneath? Not only defensively, but can they help out our guards offensively? IIf we can do those things well – especially if we get to January and February – we can be really dangerous.”

Retooling the backcourt is something that might not be as much of a challenge. 

The teams return Jaqari Smith, who faced injury struggles last season, but bounced back to become an honorable mention on the All-Cov News team.

Smith joins returning star guard and 2024 All-Cov News MVP Nick Durham who averaged 18.8 PPG last season. 

Durham has reportedly put on 20 pounds of muscle to prepare for this season and is expected to elevate his game once again this year.

“I just think his understanding of the game has gotten to the upper echelon of guards,” Jackson said. “I fully anticipate not just the numbers being good – they always have been – just the level of efficiency and what it looks like passing that eyeball test, that's really high-level basketball.”

While the Tigers upped the stakes last year with the winning record, the goals are to win the region title, make state playoffs for the first time in nearly a decade. The star guard Durham said this year’s mission is simple.

“I’m looking forward to dominating,” Durham said. “Dominating our region, dominating everybody that steps up in front of us.”