After an interim run this past season, Bret Saxton has been named the boys basketball coach at Trinity High School.

Saxton, 37, is a 2005 Trinity product who went on to play basketball at Georgetown College. In his 10^th season as an assistant coach, Saxton was named acting head coach in January when Mike Szabo stepped away to deal with health issues.

Saxton went 12-4 during his tenure, leading the Shamrocks to the Seventh Region Tournament championship and their first trip to the Sweet 16 since 2019.

Trinity advanced to the Sweet 16 quarterfinals, falling to Evangel Christian 57-46 to complete a 27-8 season.

“It is clear that Coach Saxton understands basketball strategy, having demonstrated this from his own playing days and as an assistant and interim head coach,” said Sean Duggins, who has been tabbed to take over as Trinity’s athletics director this summer after the retirement of Rob Saxton, Bret’s father. “Player development is key in his mind. He has strong relationships with college coaches from every level and from his own collegiate experience is well-equipped to provide guidance for students who want to play after high school.”

Saxton was a junior guard on the first Trinity team to reach the Sweet 16 in 2004. After college, he returned to Trinity in 2015 and is currently the school’s director of communications.

The Shamrocks could return three starters — Lance Chandler, Julius Edmonds and Jayden Johnson — and seven of their top nine scorers from last season. Drae Vasser and Alex Johnson were the only senior starters on the squad.

Jason Frakes: 502-582-4046; jfrakes@courier-journal.com; follow on X @kyhighs

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This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Trinity High School basketball names Bret Saxton permanent head coach