RIVERDALE, N.Y. – Manhattan's men's basketball program has been around since 1904 and has played every year since then, minus two years during World War II.
When the Jaspers moved to Riverdale in 1922, the Jaspers had already been playing basketball for 16 seasons. In 1922-23 the Jaspers went 7-5 with wins over NYS Teachers, Fordham, St. John's, Saint Joseph's, Cooper Union, Pratt, and Saint Peter's Club.
The Jaspers' best season pre-World War II by win total was the 1942-43 season, the season before the program stopped for two seasons due to the war effort. In 42-43, the Jaspers went 18-3 under head coach Joseph G. Daher. The Jaspers also went 17-2 in 1935-36 under Neil Cohalan.
The 1943 team was the first Jasper team to appear in the NIT. The Jaspers also made the NIT in 1949.
After the war, the Jaspers extended the program's streak to 20 non-losing seasons. The streak started in 1934-35 and ended in 1955-56. The program's first two 20-win seasons came during this stretch, 1947-48 and 1952-53. The 1955-56 team was the first quad to make the NCAA Tournament.
During the 1950s, the Jaspers made the NIT or NCAA Tournament seven times. Manhattan made the NIT in 1953, '54, '55, '57, and '59, and the NCAA Tournament in '56 and '58. The head coach leading the Jaspers was Kenneth Norton. Norton coached the Jaspers from 1946-68 and is the all-time wins leader (310) in program history.
The Jaspers would make two more NIT appearances in 1965 and 65 before getting going in 1970 and 1973-75.
As the 1990s started, Manhattan returned to postseason play. For the first time since '75, the Jaspers played in the NIT in 1992. The following year, the Jaspers would make program history by claiming the first of five MAAC Tournament Titles, which meant a return trip to the NCAA Tournament. In the 1993 NCAA Tournament, the Jaspers lost to Virginia 78-66. MAAC Player of the Year Keith Bullock led the 1993 team. Bullock is also a member of the Manhattan Hall of Fame. When he graduated, he was the program's all-time leading scorer (1,992).
NIT trips followed the NCAA appearance in 1994 and 1996.
Manhattan's most recent trips to the postseason have been in bunches. The Jaspers made the NIT in 2002 before claiming back-to-back MAAC Tournament Titles in 2003 and 2004 and NCAA appearances. In the 2004 NCAA Tournament, the Jaspers pulled off arguably the biggest win in program history when the No. 12 seed Jaspers upset No. 5 seed Florida, 75-60, in the Round of 64.
The most recent NCAA appearances for Manhattan also came in back-to-back years, 2014-15. In 2014, the Jaspers pushed defending national champion Louisville in the first round before losing 71-64. The Jaspers returned to the NCAA Tournament a year later and faced Hampton in the First Four. Luis Flores led the way for the Jaspers in 2004. Flores was the MAAC Player of the Year in 2004 and set the single-season scoring record with 744 points. Flores broke his record from the year prior when he was also MAAC Player of the Year.
Jasper players have won three MAAC Player of the Year awards, nine Rookie of the Year honors (most in league history), four Defensive Player of the Year awards, and one Sixth Player of the Year. Jasper head coaches have collected five MAAC Coach of the Year honors.
One of those former players and MAAC Champions is now leading the program.
RaShawn Stores was a two-time team captain and a member of the 2014 and 2015 MAAC Tournament Championship teams.
"It is a blessing [to lead this program]. The Bronx are my home. There is so much history of success here. From Jack Powers to Chris Williams to myself and my teammates. It is a great brotherhood to be a part of," said Stores.
Stores is the first African-American head coach in program history and one of the youngest head coaches in the country.
As a player, Stores was a Lefty Driesell Defensive All-American as a senior in 2016. In 2013, he was named to the MAAC All-Rookie Team. When he graduated in 2016, Stores was ninth in school history with 314 assists.
