Manhattan basketball coach Steve Masiello fired in stunner

In a surprising transfer simply two weeks earlier than the beginning of the faculty males’s basketball season, Manhattan has fired head coach Steve Masiello, the varsity introduced Tuesday afternoon.

Masiello was coming into the ultimate 12 months of his contract and sources mentioned he had sought a contract extension, which was not granted. He has been changed on an interim foundation by assistant RaShawn Shops, a former Manhattan participant underneath Masiello.

“We thank Coach Masiello for his service and need him properly,” Manhattan athletic director Marianne Reilly mentioned in a press release. “As we glance to constructing profitable groups for the long run — and with recruiting season starting quickly and Coach Masiello’s contract ending in April 2023 — we decided that it was the appropriate time to start rebuilding from the highest down.”

Steve Masiello has been fired as Manhattan's men's basketball coach.
Steve Masiello has been fired as Manhattan’s males’s basketball coach.
Getty Photographs

The transfer got here at a shocking time. Manhattan was picked to complete second within the MAAC within the preseason coaches’ ballot, and Jose Perez, a fifth-year senior ahead was chosen as preseason Participant of the 12 months.

Masiello coached for 11 seasons on the Bronx faculty, reaching the NCAA Event in 2014 and 2015. However he failed to complete over .500 the previous seven years. The Jaspers have been anticipated to enhance significantly on that within the upcoming season, with Perez, ahead Josh Roberts and Hofstra switch Omar Silverio.

Steve Masiello (r.) talks to Rick Pitino (l.) before Manhattan's NCAA Tournament game against Louisville on March 20, 2014.
Steve Masiello (r.) talks to Rick Pitino (l.) earlier than Manhattan’s NCAA Event sport towards Louisville on March 20, 2014.
Corbis/Icon Sportswire by way of Getty Photographs

“This has been a really powerful day for me and, truthfully talking, coach was essentially the most caring individual I ever met,” Perez, a Bronx native who averaged 18.9 factors and 4.5 assists final season, tweeted. “He cared a lot for his gamers and truthfully talking it could [be] very troublesome for me to placed on a jasper’s uniform once more if coach ain’t on these sidelines.

“Love you coach!”

Perez advised The Submit he entered the switch portal on Tuesday. He believes a number of teammates will go away as properly, primarily based on their response to the information and conversations he has had with them.

It wasn’t so way back that Masiello was seen as a rising star. Within the 2014 NCAA Event, he practically beat his mentor Rick Pitino and Louisville, along with his Jaspers as a thirteenth seed.

Later that March, he verbally agreed to take the head-coaching place at South Florida, however the supply was rescinded when it got here to gentle that Masiello had not, as his résumé said, graduated from Kentucky. He graduated that August and returned to Manhattan after being placed on momentary go away. 

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