Tornadoes Capture Touro University Invitational Championship

Representing Touro University’s New York School of Career and Applied Studies (NYSCAS), the Tornadoes combined strong leadership, balanced scoring, and relentless defense to build a large first-half lead, stymie a would-be Rocktop rally, then pull away for a 90-60 tournament-clinching victory. The victory added another chapter to the legendary career of head coach Irv Bader, and the basketball program that has grown steadily under his leadership.

The Tornadoes were led by freshman big man Tymeek Stokley, who finished with 24 points, which included an emphatic breakaway dunk. The offense hummed along throughout the game with a series of 3-pointers, turnaround jumpers, fast-break layups, and unselfish play.

Sophomore point guard Cameron Brown set the tone with 13 points and 9 assists.

“We were counted out in a lot of games,” said Brown, a Queens native and Tornadoes co-captain. “But we stayed together and still came out on top.”

The legend continues

Coach Bader, 86, has spent more than six decades coaching basketball. A former player at Yeshiva University who was drafted by the NBA’s Baltimore Bullets in 1960 and later inducted into the Jewish Basketball Hall of Fame, Bader has led the Tornadoes since 2013.

His approach is straightforward and old school.

“If you don’t play defense,” Coach Bader said, “you sit next to me and watch the game.”

Players say that philosophy helped shape a disciplined team culture.

“Once I learned who he was and his basketball résumé, it was easy to buy in,” Brown said. “His basketball mind is like no other.”

Going out on top

Senior co-captain Danzel Langlaise scored 18 points in the championship game and served as a steady presence on and off the court over the course of the season. As the only player graduating this year, the 6-foot-5 power forward said capping his college career with a title made the moment particularly special.

“It means a lot to end my last season this way,” said Langlaise. “Everybody bought in and everybody worked hard.”

Like basketball, he said, Touro is in his blood. After all, his mom is an alum.

“She went here first,” Langlaise said. “Now she gets to come back and see me out there.”

Langlaise said his experience at Touro was more than just basketball.

“The professors and staff really support you,” he said. “They want to see you succeed.”

Cameron agreed with Langlaise’s assessment.

“Being here and seeing what Touro offers made me fall in love with it,” said Brown, who is majoring in paralegal studies. “The teachers and classes really help me with what I’m trying to achieve.”

All about chemistry

Freshman guard Denis Danilovich was effusive in his praise for the two co-captains.

“Cameron and Danzel are great leaders,” he said. “They keep everybody positive and make sure nobody puts their head down.”

Danilovich, known for his three-point shooting and energy off the bench, said Coach Bader’s attention to detail helped the team stay focused all season.

“He sees things other coaches might not see,” Danilovich said. “The little things he goes over in practice help us during games.”

For Coach Bader, the championship reflects the kind of balance he wants every student-athlete to achieve.

“They’re good students and good players,” he said. “And when you get a group like that together, special things can happen.”

This season, the Tornadoes proved exactly that.