Shane Richards relishing one more season of proving his critics wrong

Already one of Manhattan's greatest success stories, Shane Richards has one more chapter to write into his legacy, and if it includes silencing naysayers again, that's fine with him. (Photo courtesy of Manhattan College Athletics)

Sometimes, when one makes a living out of doing the same thing day after day, month after month, year after year, it becomes old hat and a new challenge is desired. Other times, a person can become so assimilated in his or her me-against-the-world mantra to the point where every day presents a different opportunity for the so-called doubters to eat their words.

For Shane Richards, his career; actually, his life, has thrived upon the latter. His journey from unrecruited high school shooter to integral piece of the Manhattan College puzzle has been well documented. So too has his endless mission to prove he belongs, a constant reminder to anyone who sees No. 0 in the Jasper green and white, a number symbolic of the lack of interest he received before Steve Masiello and his staff saw something special in the gym rat who gained a reputation at the 92nd Street Y on the Upper East Side for his relentless hustle.

For three years, Richards lived in the shadows of five 1,000-point scorers that gained most of the attention in Manhattan's back-to-back NCAA Tournament appearances. Now, the marksman who turned heads last season when he showed he was more than just the token shooter, enters his senior season and final go-round in Riverdale as something he has never been before: THE guy.

"It's been difficult for me a little bit," he conceded when asked about the pressure he now faces as the face of the Jasper roster, and along with RaShawn Stores, one of the elder statesmen in the locker room. "It's just a new role for me, but I'm doing the best I can and working to get better at it. I'm taking some of the young guys aside and telling them what to do."

Richards' stubborn nature on the court is more often than not an extension of his drive to be the man leaving a lasting impression on those gathered to watch. While his own ambition has gotten the best of him at times, such as his scoreless outing against Rutgers last season or his past struggles against Iona, it has not changed the reverence with which those around him on an everyday basis have come to direct his way.

"He's one of the best players in the conference," Masiello said, "even though the MAAC didn't vote him all-league or any of that stuff. He's a guy who does so many things, and I love coaching him every day. He plays hard, he's a great shooter (who) really improved the IQ part of his game, reads, reading the screens. Shane has always done what we've asked, and this year we're going to ask him to do a little more."

Among his new responsibilities will be spearheading the effort to secure a third straight Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference championship, something only two other schools in league history have ever done, and a task that the man notorious for attempting to tackle the impossible is openly embracing.

"We've been working harder than I've ever worked here, in terms of preseason," Richards admitted, his humble, committed intonation saying just as much as his words. "Coach Mas really wanted to make a point to do something we've never done before. This preseason has been pretty rough, so hopefully we can make strides going forward, and this is going to help us down the road."

This year, he and RaShawn Stores seek not only what Masiello has rightfully termed "history," but the two would also become just the third and fourth players to don the Manhattan uniform in a conference championship game during each of their four years.

"That's an incredible accomplishment," Richards marveled, momentarily basking in the uniqueness of such a milestone. "There's been a lot of great players to play at this school, and I'm just happy to be a part of that if we do make it."

When asked if the snub from the coaches' ballots at the end of last season lit more of a fire under him to not only lead Manhattan back to the promised land, but fire one last dagger into the hearts of his skeptics as well, the Jaspers' silent assassin faced the inquiry as if were another dose of the constant adversity he has dueled his entire life, usually coming out victorious in the process.

"Of course it did," he shot back, "but that's usual stuff for me. Let's see what happens this year."