John "Jack" Powers is a name that has been synonymous with New York City college basketball since the late 1950's. In his three years on the court for Manhattan College, he led the Jaspers to the NCAA tournament twice and the NIT once. Powers’ post-season appearances include defeating nationally ranked West Virginia and Jerry West in the 1958 NCAA Tournament. He was the Jaspers' captain his senior year while concluding his collegiate career with 1,139 points.
After a brief high school coaching career, he returned to his alma mater in 1968 as the Manhattan Jaspers head coach. In his ten years at the helm, Powers' teams went 142–114, won the 1973 ECAC Holiday Festival and appeared in the NIT four times. All this was done without an on-campus arena as Jaspers Home games were played at Madison Square Garden.
After his coaching days were over, Jack was named Manhattan's Director of Athletics, a position he held for nine years. During that time, Jasper athletics experienced tremendous growth in both the men's and women's programs. In addition to his Manhattan duties, he served on the executive councils of the ECAC and the IC4A’s. He was president of the Metropolitan Basketball Association, president of the Tri-State Soccer League, and the president of the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference. Jack also served on the NIT committee throughout his tenure as athletic director and took over as Executive Director of the NIT in 1988, following the retirement of legendary Peter A. Carlesimo. He held the position into August 2005 when the NIT came under the umbrella of the NCAA. Jack stayed on with the NIT /NCAA and in his new capacity, he handled contracts and acted as a liaison between potential tournament participants and the NCAA.
The recipient of numerous awards including the NACDA/NIT Athletic Directors Award, Powers was inducted into the Manhattan College Hall of Fame, Catholic High School Athletic Association, Hall of Fame, Brooklyn's Old Timer Hall of Fame, Brooklyn's Sports Foundation and the Mamaroneck High School Hall of Fame. In March 2012, Powers was recognized at the First Annual MAAC Honor Roll Dinner and at the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. He was enshrined in "The MAAC Experience," the league's exhibit there. In 2015, he was named an “ECAC Legend” receiving honors at the Madison Square Garden Holiday Festival.
On February 26, 2016 Powers became the first Jasper to have his basketball uniform number retired. His number 34 was raised to the rafters on 'Jack Powers Night 'at halftime of the Manhattan Iona game at Draddy Gymnasium