Michael Triant enjoyed a lot of success during his basketball career Saint Dominic Savio High School in East Boston.
A 1997 Savio graduate who as a 6-foot-2-inch captain led the Spartans to the Division 3 North sectional finals, Triant will try to match or surpass that level of excellence next door in Winthrop.
Winthrop High School Director of Athletics Matt Serino has named Triant as the new boys basketball head coach. Triant, 40, succeeds former East Boston resident and Pope John hoop great David Sacco as 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 think that David did a great job for the last three years really getting the ball rolling and starting to change the culture. I think there’s still a lot more that has to be done and I look forward to the challenge.”
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 Spartans
Michael Triant was a captain of an outstanding Savio team coached by Angelo Fantasia.
“We lost to Weston High, 103-90, in the Sectional Finals at UMass Boston,” recalled Triant. “Michael DiMarino, Chris Previte, and I were the three senior captains. John Bennett was a junior. We also had Derek Tirrell and Jimmy Giardina, who were in the starting five, and Joey Grillo. We had a great club.”
Savio had advanced to the Sectional Finals with a memorable win over Bishop Fenwick High School, who was led by Ohio State-bound player Sean Connolly.
“Our class had its 20th Savio Reunion three years ago at Kowloon,” said Triant. “We all have great memories of our years at Savio.”
Triant said that former Savio sports star Kevin Adamson will be an assistant coach on his Winthrop staff.
The son of George and Janet Triant, Michael grew up in Orient Heights and attended St. Mary’s and St. Lazarus Schools before enrolling at Savio. He graduated from Bridgewater State University with a degree in Physical Education/Recreation.
His Coaching Philosophy
As a head coach, Triant wants to teach his players “life lessons” that they will carry into their futures.
“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.”
Michael Triant and his wife, Melissa, live in Winthrop and have three young children, Chase, Callie, and Christian.