Sports

Sharpshooter Richards picks Manhattan

Just when Shane Richards figured his productive summer wasn’t going to net any results, Manhattan College came into the picture. And a month later, the Upper East Side native had a future home.

Richards, a sharpshooting 6-foot-5 wing out of York Prep, recently verbally committed to the Jaspers and first-year coach Steve Masiello.

“I felt the time was right,” he told The Post. “Manhattan was showing me the most love. I felt comfortable with the whole coaching staff. I’d be a fool to pass up an opportunity to be coached by a former NBA player (assistant Scott Padgett) and assistant at Louisville (Masiello) last year. It was the right decision for me in terms of my future.”

He added: “I saw them practice, it was very high intensity. I like the way Coach Masiello coaches. He’s really hard on his players, but he means well. They learn a lot. The playing style is real up-and-down. I feel like I can show people my versatility as a player.”

Richards chose Manhattan over New Hampshire, which was his only other solid Division I offer, Colgate and Cornell. The latter two were very interested, but Richards needed to raise his SAT score.

Known as a lights-out shooter, Richards has improved other areas of his game, such as ball-handling, rebounds and defense. His greatest asset, though, remains his pure 3-point shot.

“If you give him any kind of space, he’ll knock down shots,” one Division I assistant familiar with Richards said. “He’s a great shooter. He doesn’t get a lot of recognition because of the school he goes to.”

Richards never imagined he would be playing Division I basketball back when he attended junior high school at Lab Museum United. He didn’t have much confidence at the time, but that changed thanks to his coach Shaun Hicks.

“He believed in me when I didn’t believe in myself at the time,” Richards said. “He gave me the opportunity to play and when I saw myself getting better and better I started believing in myself.”

Richards left LMU for York Prep following his freshman year and has thought about leaving the private school for a program with more exposure. He never pulled the trigger, in part, because he felt he would get enough looks over the summer.

“It was for the best,” he said. “I don’t know what would’ve happened in other situations.”

Richards enjoyed a big summer, shining with the Metrohawks and playing well at Hoop Group Elite Camp Session III. Yet, when soccer started in September, there was only interest, no offers. That changed in October when Manhattan came calling.

He visited the Riverdale campus a few times, liked what he saw, and didn’t find a reason to wait any longer.

“It’s very exciting, it’s also overwhelming,” he said. “You want to make sure you made the right decision for your future, and only time will tell if you did.”

zbraziller@nypost.com