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Manhattan’s basketball coach, Masiello, looks to take his team back to the big stage
Fresh off a contract extension, Manhattan Jaspers basketball coach Steve Masiello continues to improve his team with the hopes of leading them to the NCAA Tournament. (Photo: Vincent Dusovic/Manhattan College Athletics)

Manhattan’s basketball coach, Masiello, looks to take his team back to the big stage

RIVERDALE, N.Y. (BVM) – As the buzzer sounded on Mar. 2, 2017, the Manhattan Jaspers finished one of their worst seasons in school history. The future looked bleak.

They capped off their year with a 1-point loss to Rider in the first round of the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) Tournament, giving them a 10-22 record. For a Manhattan school with such a rich basketball history, this was one of their lowest points. Coach Steve Masiello was faced with his biggest task yet, bringing the Jaspers back to prominence. 

Masiello grew up nearby in Westchester, N.Y. He was a basketball talent himself, playing at the Harvey School in Katonah, before getting recruited to Kentucky to play under Hall of Fame coach Rick Pitino. He instantly pursued a coaching career after graduating. 

Right out of school, Masiello would get work as an assistant coach. After a quick stint at Tulane, he earned a position at Manhattan under coach Bobby Gonzalez. The Jaspers had some of their best years with this staff. They made it to two NCAA Tournaments from 2003-04, the ultimate achievement for a small school. 

Masiello’s success would lead to a new position, giving him the opportunity to reunite with his old coach, Rick Pitino, at Louisville. The tutelage he received under a prestigious basketball mind would prepare him for the next step in his career. 

It was only a matter of time before Masiello would get an offer to lead his own team. In 2011, Manhattan would bring back the head coach to carry on their winning tradition. Instantly, he fulfilled these expectations. After going a horrific 6-25 the previous season, Masiello improved the Jaspers to 21-13 in his first year at the helm. This was just the start, however. 

The Jaspers would go 25-8 in 2014, making it to the NCAA Tournament where Masiello faced his former mentor, Rick Pitino, and the defending national champion Louisville Cardinals. Despite losing, the Jaspers fought hard to keep it close till the end losing, 64-71. Everything truly came full circle for Masiello, coaching on the biggest stage against the man who molded him.

The Jaspers would repeat their success in 2015 with a 19-14 record. But, after this run, Masiello would hit a rough patch with two losing seasons in subsequent years. 

This was culminated with the loss to Rider in 2017. Masiello showed he could win with a program after being hired, but this scenario was different. His new challenge was to turn around a team going through adversity under his leadership.

While the Jaspers haven’t completely returned to their winning ways, they’ve shown signs that they’re on their way. Over the past three seasons, Manhattan has been a much more competitive program. They’ve consistently finished with a .500 record in the MAAC, improving significantly on the defensive end by giving up only 65.7 points per game during this stretch. 

These improvements were noticed by the program, rewarding Masiello with a contract extension through the 2022-2023 season. The veteran coach has proven himself at every stage of his career, creating a belief that he’ll lead the team to greener pastures. 

Masiello isn’t letting the extension alter his drive for success. The Jaspers head coach was key in getting former Seton Hall guard Anthony Nelson through the transfer portal last summer. Already known for his recruiting skills, Masiello outdid himself by getting a high-caliber talent to join his small school program. 

The head coach’s journey has been admirable, but it isn’t over yet. The pressure is still on Masiello to get Manhattan back to the tournament. With the momentum and talent his team has, they could very well be there next season.