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By ALEC ETHEREDGE | Managing Editor

HELENA – The Helena Huskies didn’t have to go far to find their next head basketball coach.

After a lengthy search, the Helena High School announced former Pelham High School assistant Lucas McDonald as its replacement for the retiring Billy Grant on Thursday, May 5.

McDonald was approved at a regularly-scheduled Shelby County Schools board meeting on Thursday night and comes to HHS following eight years at Pelham.

“I am both humbled and excited to be entrusted with guiding this program into the future,” McDonald said. “It will be our goal to continue to provide a quality product that our players, the school, and our community can be proud of. We are extremely excited to be a part of the Helena High School family.”

McDonald comes to Helena with 20 years of experience as both an assistant and head coach at the high school level, while he has also coached at the collegiate level.

He previously coached alongside new Oak Mountain head coach Joel Floyd at Pelham, where the two helped guide Pelham to the Sweet 16 on multiple occasions.

McDonald graduated from Kansas Wesleyan University in 2001 and currently lives in the city of Helena with his wife Lee.

“We are super excited about bringing him on board with his years of experience,” Helena Principal Ashley Bahr said. “I can’t imagine somebody being a better fit for this position and are very lucky to have him as a Helena Husky.”

McDonald will take over for Grant, who announced this past season would be his final as a head basketball coach before retiring.