New Geneva boys basketball coach Kelsey Prestwood wants to keep the Panthers’ program going in a positive direction.
Hired by the Geneva Board of Education on Thursday morning, the former Ariton and Elba head coach replaces Rodney Jackson, who guided the program to 40 wins and two sub-regional appearances in the last two seasons. Jackson left to take a coaching position in north Alabama.
Prestwood, who guided Elba to a 15-12 record this past season, knows the first year might be tough after the Panthers lost a heavy and talented senior class, including Class 4A state player of year finalist Evan Griffin.
“I know it will be a bit of rebuild situation as they graduated eight seniors last year and they are coming off a 21-win season,” Prestwood said. “I know it will be a little bit of a rebuild situation, but I am excited about the opportunity of stepping in and trying to pick up on the success they had in the last couple of seasons.
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“I think Geneva is a great place. It is a great opportunity for me to further my coaching career. I am excited about the opportunity.”
Prestwood will also help coach with Geneva’s junior varsity football team and teach physical education at Geneva Middle School.
A 2007 Ariton graduate, Prestwood began his coaching career as assistant coach and JV coach at his alma mater under Terry Goodson in 2014-15, while finishing up school at Troy University. In two years at Ariton’s, he guided the JV Purple Cats to a 33-7 record.
He became the head varsity boys basketball coach at Zion Chapel in 2016-17 before returning to Ariton after one year and leading the Purple Cats varsity team from four seasons (2017-21). He then moved to Elba and led the Tigers for the last three seasons, coaching the junior high, JV and varsity teams. The Tigers were 40-44 in his three years, highlighted a 17-14 season in 2022-23.
“Kelsey has varsity experience at three local schools, so he steps in with that under his belt, and he has been involved with entire programs seven through 12 grades and that is something that we feel benefits the program,” Geneva principal Michael Crews said. “I did that myself for multiple years – doing all three things. That is something that he is willing to do if that needs to be done.”
Crews, though, was hopeful that Prestwood would have to do only one or two teams but wasn’t sure how the basketball staff would play out yet.
On the court, Prestwood said he stresses defensive-oriented teams.
“We will play hard on the defensive end of the court,” Prestwood said. “I believe in playing good defense and playing hard on that end of the floor. I feel that sets the tone for how a game is going to be played. Obviously, we want to play a physical style defense where we will kind of get in your face and pressure you a little bit to make you take difficult shots.
“Offensively, we will probably be more continuity-offensive based where we rely on a lot of ball movement, a lot of player movement and screens. My biggest thing on offense is I want to see us moving the ball and sharing the ball. I want three-four-five guys with double figures each night.”
Prestwood’s first day of working with the Geneva basketball program is scheduled for Monday, June 10. He knows he has a lot of work to do in a short time frame during the summer.
“We still have to have tryout dates, so I have to get the kids together and get a team established,” Prestwood said, again noting it will be a brand-new team after losing the heavy senior class. “We probably won’t have a lot of play dates this summer. We will focus more on practices, fundamentals and working on ourselves as a team.”
The new Panthers’ head coach expressed thanks to those in Geneva for giving him the opportunity to lead the program.
“I would like to thank Ron Snell, the Superintendent, and the Geneva Board of Education as well as Michael Crews, the principal, and Brent Johnson, the AP (assistant principal),” Prestwood said. “I am very grateful to them for giving me the opportunity. Michael Crews and Brent Johnson have both been the basketball coach there, so they understand basketball. I think it will be a great opportunity to work for those guys.”
He also expressed thanks to Geneva Middle School principal Gerid White and assistant principal Donnie Smith.
“I am appreciative of them giving me the opportunity to teach (at the middle school) and coach at the high school,” Prestwood said.
Geneva baseball opening: While Geneva filled the varsity basketball job, Crews said school officials are still working on trying to fill a vacant head baseball position.
Previous head coach Daniel Hart left after this past season to lead Kinston’s baseball program. Hart coached the Panthers’ baseball team for three seasons after serving as an assistant coach for the program. He previously was head softball coach at Geneva from 2007-12 before going to Kinston and returning back to Geneva.
