[TrinitySID]

ROCKS RETURN TO LIT FOR NINTH STRAIGHT YEAR
SHAMROCKS HAVE WON TITLES IN STATE’S TOP TWO HOLIDAY TOURNAMENTS

Appearing in the Republic Bank/ Coca-Cola/ Louisville Invitational Tournament for the ninth consecutive season, the second best active streak in the tournament, Trinity looks to claim its second title in event history, beginning the quest with an opening game with Fern Creek.
This is the 63rd year for the Louisville Invitational Tournament, the nation’s oldest invitational tournament.
It is the first meeting between the Rocks and Tigers since a 49-31 Trinity victory on Feb. 9, 2007. Trinity’s most notable win in program history over Fern Creek came on March 12, 2004 at the Louisville Gardens, a 65-40 win over the Tigers in the regional semifinals after the Rocks had suffered a three-point setback to future Louisville wide receiver Mario Urrutia on Feb. 6, 2004, 63-60.
Trinity is hoping to claim its third in-season tournament title of the season this week. The Shamrocks have already won titles at the 2009 Canfield Development King of the Bluegrass and 2009 Republic Bank Holiday Classic. In 2004-2005, Trinity reached the finals of the King of the Bluegrass, Republic Bank Holiday Classic (know as Fifth Third Bank Classic at the time) and Louisville Invitational Tournament. The Rocks claimed two of the three tournaments that season.
Trinity hopes to earn the 799th win in program history tonight. The Rocks are 798-610 all-time in 1408 games entering tonight’s matchup with the Tigers. Mike Szabo has accounted for 163 of the 798 wins in his nine seasons with the Shamrocks.
Trinity is coming off a 66-46 win over Holy Cross on Wednesday, Jan. 6, 2010. The Shamrocks used a 23-6 run during the second half to take control in the game. The streak included 14 straight by the Rocks, seven of which came from freshman James Quick. Quick flirted with a triple-double in the game, scoring 17 points, 8 rebounds and 7 steals.
Senior Josh Sewell has established himself as the leading candidate for the Mr. Basketball award in the state of Kentucky. He has been named the Most Valuable Player of the Canfield Development King of the Bluegrass and Republic Bank Holiday Classic this season, becoming only the second player (Chris Lofton) to win both of the awards over the course of their playing careers.

STATISTICAL JUMP SHOTS
• The Rocks have won 12 of their last 13 games overall, including ten straight.
• Trinity has won 11 straight games away from home to start the 2009-2010 season.
• Just two of Trinity’s 13 opponents have reached the 60-point plateau this season, but the Rocks won both of those contests.
• Trinity is one of five teams in the 7th Region that currently has 12 wins on the season, entering games on Jan. 8, 2010.
• Trinity is 33-10 over the last two seasons. The Rocks are one of five teams in the region to win 33 or more games and one of four teams with 10 losses or less, entering games on Jan. 8, 2010.
• Trinity is 2-0 in the 2010 calendar year.
• Trinity has hit a three-point basket in 77 consecutive games, a streak dating to the 2006-2007 season. It is the longest streak since an 88 game streak that lasted from 2003-2006.

2009-10 SEASON HIGHLIGHTS
• Senior Josh Sewell is the leading candidate for Kentucky’s Mr. Basketball Award
• Trinity wins 2009 Republic Bank Holiday Classic for the second time in program history. Senior Josh Sewell is named Most Valuable Player of the event. He is joined on the All-Tournament Team by Daniel Corbett, Taylor Epley and Charles Foster.
• Trinity wins 2009 Canfield Development King of the Bluegrass Holiday Classic for the first time in program history. Senior Josh Sewell was named the Bob White Most Valuable Player of the event and to the All-Tournament Team after averaging 20.5 points per game. Senior Taylor Epley was named to the All-Tournament Team after averaging 17.0 points per game in the four game span.
• Senior Josh Sewell averaging 25.7 points per game against district opponents (three games).
• Senior Josh Sewell signed a national letter of intent to play basketball at Miami (Ohio) on November 11, 2009.

GAME NOTES
Shamrocks Earn Ninth Straight Bid to Louisville Invitational Tournament, Face Fern Creek
Trinity will appear in the Republic Bank/Coca-Cola Louisville Invitational Tournament for the ninth consecutive season. The Shamrocks earned their 8th consecutive bid in 2009.
Only Pleasure Ridge Park has a longer streak of consecutive tournament appearances in the event. The Panthers have made the tournament 19 consecutive years, the only team surpassing Trinity’s nine appearances.
The Shamrocks are ranked fifth in the SETH Ratings that determined seeding for the 2010 event. The Rocks will face 12th seeded Fern Creek on Tuesday, Jan. 12, 2010 at Bellarmine’s Knights Hall.
It will be the first meeting between the teams since Feb. 9, 2007, a 49-31 win for the Shamrocks at Steinhauser Gymnasium.
The Shamrocks won their first Louisville Invitational Tournament title in 2005 when top-seeded Trinity defeated Jeffersontown 56-46 in the Louisville Gardens on Jan. 15, 2005. Senior guard Kyle Saxton had 22 points and five rebounds while senior guard Bret Saxton had 15 points and five rebounds. The senior duo was named the tournament’s most valuable players following the event.
The Shamrocks are 8-7 in the tournament under head coach Mike Szabo. The Shamrocks have reached the event quarterfinals on four occasions under Szabo, including the program’s first quarterfinals appearance in program history in 2002.
Szabo’s 2002 appearance in the event broke a two-year streak without appearing in the event.

NOTABLE GAMES IN LOUISVILLE INVITATIONAL TOURNAMENT
• Jan. 9, 2002: Trinity 59, St. Xavier 54: Mike Szabo earned his first win over St. Xavier, in his meeting with the school, and pushed Trinity into the quarterfinals of the LIT for the first time in program history in just his first season as coach of the Shamrocks.
• Jan, 15, 2005: Trinity 56, Jeffersontown 46: Trinity claimed its first LIT title in program history with the win over Jeffersontown. In the game, Kyle Saxton became the seventh member of Trinity’s 1,000 point club.
• Jan. 10, 2006: Trinity 83, Warren Central 77 [Three Overtimes]: It took three overtimes, but Trinity got the 83-77 win over Warren Central.