A New Era Begins: Michael Triant Named New WHS Boys Basketball Coach

Michael Triant knows all about Winthrop High’s outstanding basketball tradition. In fact, the former 1997 Dom Savio basketball captain says he was inspired by the 1995 Winthrop High team that won the state championship.

“I can name the starting five for Peter Grimes’ team that won it all,” said Triant. “The way they came together as a team and won that incredible overtime game in the Garden was something special and helped inspire me for my senior-year team at Savio.”

Winthrop High School Director of Athletics Matt Serino has named Triant as the new Winthrop High boys basketball head coach. Triant, 40, succeeds David Sacco as head coach.

“I’m very excited and looking forward to it,” said Triant, who is the executive director of the Salesian Boys and Girls Club in East Boston. “I just want to say how grateful I am to Athletic Director Matt Serino and Principal Matt Crombie for the opportunity they’ve given me. “I am looking forward to working with them to continue to advance the high school program and basketball in our great town.

I think that David did a great job for the last three years really getting the ball rolling here and starting to change the culture,” added Triant. “I think there’s still a lot more that has to be done and I look forward to the challenge and forming some good relationships around the town to bring Winthrop basketball back to where it belongs.

Triant served as assistant varsity coach on Sacco’s staff in Winthrop for the past three seasons. He previously served as junior varsity coach on Jay Seigal’s Chelsea High staff for eight seasons.

A Captain of the Savio Prep Spartans

The son of George and Janet Triant, Michael grew up in Orient Heights and attended St. Mary’s and St. Lazarus Schools in East Boston before enrolling at Savio. He graduated from Bridgewater State University with a degree in Physical Education/Recreation.

“I tried out for the team at Bridgewater and ended up not making the team, but I played intramurals,” said Triant.

In high school, Michael was a 6-foot, 3-inch starting forward for an outstanding Savio team coached by Angelo Fantasia.

“We lost to Weston High, 103-90, in the Sectional Finals at UMass Boston on a day I’ll never forget – we probably didn’t give up 75 points in a game all year,” recalled Triant. “Michael DiMarino, Chris Previte, and I were the three senior captains. Coach Fantasia was a Winthrop guy and he was a school principal when he coached us at Savio. He [Fantasia] wrote me a great recommendation for the Winthrop position and I’m still really close to Coach Fantasia and Coach Jim Doherty, great guys who I grew up having as coaches and also my dad – people who helped me develop the love for the game.”

His Coaching Philosophy

Triant said he wants to instill in his Winthrop players the positive attitude and inspiring lessons that he learned from his coaches and mentors.

“I want to use basketball as a tool to make the players the best human beings that they can become,” said Triant. “Positive young adults – that’s what we’re looking to mold. We’re going to stress academics a lot and make sure they’re good students and good members of the community. Basketball is important to us here, but it’s more about using basketball to teach guys lessons about life.”

Assistant Coaches Named to WHS staff

Triant said Kevin Adamson, a former Savio three-sport standout, will be returning to the Winthrop coaching staff. Adamson, who has been helping out the Vikings’ freshman team, will move up to the varsity team as a coach. “I think the players respond really well and obviously he knows the game inside and out,” said Triant.

Former Winthrop center Anthony Hatzisavas, who helped lead Coach David Brown’s Vikings to the 2011 Division 4 state championship, will move up from junior varsity coach to varsity assistant coach.

Hatzisavas had one of the greatest performances in Winthrop post-season history, scoring 22 points, grabbing 17 rebounds, and blocking five shots in a 71-58 win over Georgetown in the sectional semifinals. The headline in the Sun Transcript: How Do You Spell Dominating? H-a-t-z-i-s-a-v-a-s.

 â€œThat’s Hatzi – he’s been a great asset to our program,” said Triant.

Triant has a good nucleus returning, led by Cam Conway, the Vikings’ leading scorer who could land in the 1,000 point club with a big senior season. Starting point guard Chris Cappuccio also returns for the Vikings. Austin Daigneault, Tyler Rockefeller, and Brian Conceicao are also expected to be key players.

A Winthrop Resident for the Past 5 years

Michael Triant and his wife, Melissa, live in Winthrop and have three young children, Chase, a third-grader, Callie, a second grader, and Christian, who is 3 years old.

‘‘We love living here,” said Triant.