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Manhattan College Plans a Basketball Revival. But First, Some Chaos.

Envisioning bigger things for the team and school enrollment, the Jaspers fired their men’s coach less than two weeks before the start of the season. Their best player transferred because of it.

When Steve Masiello, far right, was fired as Manhattan’s head coach right before this season was set to begin, Coach Rick Pitino, top left, had him on his Iona staff by early November.Credit...Peter Carr/The Journal News, via USA Today Network

As the final seconds ticked away Friday night, Steve Masiello tucked away his scouting notes and rose from the Iona men’s basketball team’s bench.