The Trinity Rocks basketball team, noted for outstanding three-point shooting and aggressive rebounding, starts the season ranked second in the state by coaches, receiving 12 first-place votes.

The challenges this year are huge, with tournaments like King of the Bluegrass, which features the best teams from Kentucky, and the Arby’s Classic, a tournament which features some of the top squads from the Southern US. Not long after the team returns from those tournaments, they face rival St. Xavier.

Trinity senior point guard Jacob King and senior forward David Burton are more than excited to face the tests that will be presented this year — as is 16-year head coach Mike Szabo. 

Szabo was impressed with the players’ summer work. He said, “David Burton had a really good summer. He was very consistent in his efforts and his production in the summer league games. Jacob King is a also a very consistent player, and it’s also great to bring back senior (guard) Lukas Burkman off an injury suffered in the previous season. He’s been shooting very well.”

Burton agreed, saying,”I’ve improved most on driving to the hoop and dribbling the basketball.”

King said,”I’d say I’ve improved on defense the most. The coaches have gotten on me to become a better lockdown defender. Also, my leadership has taken some strides, which is something else my coaches have helped me with. These are the things necessary for us to win games.”

Szabo pointed to senior forward L.J. Harris as “a steady player; he brings toughness, defensive rebounding every night. (Sophomore guard) David Johnson also had a great summer. He’s getting stronger every day and better as well.”

Johnson blew up last season as a freshman playing on varsity. Szabo expressed confidence in the young player.  “He’s definitely improving every day because he works hard and has an excellent attitude,” Szabo said. “He really wants to be good.”

Johnson, dropped 16 points and got nine rebounds against a tough Male team last year, just one of the many examples proving that he can play well under pressure.

The season will not be easy with a schedule filled with tough teams such as Oldham County, Manual, Male, Ballard, Fern Creek and St. Xavier. An early game to keep an eye on will be against Fern Creek at their place.

King said, “For our first couple of games, I’d say Fern Creek will be the toughest. They were really good last year, and they’re always full of energy. They are always a really aggressive team, which will make it a fun game to play.”

Then, of course, there’s the rivalry match of the season against St. Xavier. Last year the Rocks lost to the Tigers in the regular season, an upset nobody saw coming.

Last season the 29-7 Rocks won the Seventh Region before falling in the Sweet 16 first round to Newport Central Catholic in Lexington’s Rupp Arena.

Over the last 13 season’s Trinity has won 13 major titles and leads all Louisville basketball teams in the most titles held since 2004. The record in the last five years is 147-28, with only two home losses.

The team is looking for a big crowd on Dec. 2 at Trinity as they kick off their season against Pulaski County.