Jordan Brathwaite

Q&A with former Yale forward Isaac Celiscar

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Isaac Celiscar (Yale Athletics)

Isaac Celiscar averaged 13.2 points and 6.3 rebounds per outing in 2025-26 for Yale as a sophomore forward en route to being named Second-Team All-Ivy. The Wnter Haven, Fla. native transferred to Baylor in the offseason. Ivy Hoops Online recently caught up with the 6-foot-6 swingman.

Ivy Hoops Online: How difficult was it to leave Yale?

Isaac Celiscar: Leaving Yale was an incredibly difficult decision. I would probably rank it as the hardest decision I ever had to make in my life. I valued the people there and the connections I had made over the two years. My relationship with the coaching staff, coach [James] Jones especially, and my teammates meant a lot to me. Those are people I will share a lifetime with!

IHO: What are the differences you have noticed to date in practices at Yale and Baylor?

IC: I can make the slightest mistake [at Baylor] and get called out for it. There’s a lot of similarities.

IHO: Are there differences between coaches Jones and [Scott] Drew?

IC: Honestly, coach Jones and Drew have a lot of similarities. Coach Jones is a little more laid back in coaching style. Other than that, I see a lot of similarities.

IHO: Thoughts on playing Yale this season in Waco in November (Nov. 10)?

IC: I am excited. When I got the news that we were playing them, I immediately let my family know. When I transferred, I didn’t feel like there was bad blood between me and everyone on the team. It was more of a mutual respect between my teammates and coaches there. I’m happy I will get to see them and compete against them again. Of course, I’ll be in different colors, and of course I want to win. Those are my brothers and the love will be there for sure.

IHO: How do you think this Yale team will fare in the Ivy?

IC: I feel they are still in a good place to compete for first place.

IHO: Talk about the composition of this Yale team.

IC: I expect the core of Riley [Fox], Jordan [Brathwaite] and Trevor [Mullin] to have a big year. And the freshmen that were on the bench last year to prove themselves. meaning Courtney [Wallace], Jack [Sullivan], Alvin [Loving] and Daniel [Ogunyemi]. And guys that didn’t really get an opportunity but could play like Jeannot [Basima] when the opportunity presents itself to step up. I feel like they will be a very good team. Coach Jones will make sure they’re good. Coaches [Matt] Kingsley, [Tobe] Carberry and [Brandon] Sherrod all will follow that up. Wishing them nothing but the best!

No. 1 Yale men’s basketball holds off No. 4 Cornell to advance to Ivy League Tournament final

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Cornell and Yale men’s basketball tip off their Ivy League Tournament semifinal matchup at Newman Arena on March 14, 2026. (Ray Curren/Ivy Hoops Online)

ITHACA, N.Y. – Cornell senior Josh Baldwin entered the center circle for the opening tip Saturday morning at Newman Arena and just smiled at Yale’s Samson Aletan.

At 6-foot-5, Baldwin knew he had no chance to win the jump, but his insertion into the starting lineup has been integral to Cornell’s late-season success, particularly on the defensive end, where the Big Red made great strides to win eight of 11 and somewhat improbably get to Ivy Madness at all after an 0-3 league start. The most prominent of those wins was an uncharacteristic 72-69 slugfest over two-time defending champ Yale two weeks ago.

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Yale men’s basketball beats Columbia, clinches share of regular season title

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In the second game of an Ivy League back-to-back weekend, the Yale men’s basketball team put aside Friday night’s loss to Cornell and gutted out a 60-54 victory over Columbia at Levien Gymnasium on Saturday night.

“Great teams respond to adversity,” senior forward Nick Townsend, who led the Bulldogs with 18 points, seven rebounds and four assists, told SNY’s Lance Medow after the game.  “It’s good to get a win after that long ride from Cornell.”

The triumph for the conference leaders, coupled with Harvard’s 64-61 loss to Penn at the Palestra, gave the Bulldogs (22-5, 10-3 Ivy) at least a share of the Ivy League regular season title.

With wins by the Quakers and the Big Red, as well as a loss by Dartmouth, the Lions (16-11, 5-8), which have never appeared in the Ivy League Tournament, were officially eliminated from tournament contention.

Even if the Bulldogs and Crimson end the regular season tied for first, the former will have the No. 1 seed for Ivy Madness based on a better record against Penn.

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Last-second three gives Cornell men’s basketball key win over Yale

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With the clock ticking down and overtime likely, Cornell’s Jake Fiegen found a slight opening at the top of the arc and launched a last-second shot over the outstretched arm of senior forward Nick Townsend.

The senior guard’s triple hit nothing but the bottom of the net, leading the Big Red to a 72-69 upset of first-place Yale Friday night at Newman Arena.

Capping off the hard-fought victory, the boisterous Newman faithful stormed the court, showing their pride in a Cornell team that remains in the hunt for a spot in the Ivy League Tournament taking place on this same court in two weeks.

“We have such a great fanbase. Shoutout to the football team, shoutout to the everyone that was here,” senior guard Cooper Noard told ESPNU’s Derek Jones from courtside. “A super-special group they’ve got here tonight. I’m so proud of our fans, so proud of our team.”

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Yale men’s basketball wins overtime thriller at Harvard

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Few sporting events live up to their billing. Yale-Harvard did and more Saturday night, as the Bulldogs edged Harvard, 76-75, in overtime in a game at Lavietes Pavilion which offered more theatrics than most Broadway plays.

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Yale men’s basketball escapes Howard

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Yale men’s basketball played its first February out-of-conference game since 1957 Monday night.

The result was memorable: an 87-81 overtime defeat of Howard at The Burr in Washington.

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Yale men”s basketball survives Brown scare

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Yale men’s basketball averted disaster by outscoring Brown 22-5 to end their game and defeat the Bears at John J. Lee Amphitheater, 81-69, Friday night.

“Really tough, gritty win by the team tonight” Yale coach James Jones said. “Brown had us down and out three times in the game.”

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Yale men’s basketball axes Albany to notch Division I-highest 11th win

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Yale men’s basketball downed Albany, 93-82, in the MGM Springfield Basketball Hall Of Fame Classic in Springfield Wednesday to become the first team in the country with 11 wins. Yale (11-1) entered the game against Albany (3-8) tied with Duke at 10.

“I thought that the game went along pretty much as I thought it would,” coach James Jones said. “They (Albany) were really patient.”

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Yale men’s basketball steps past Stony Brook

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Yale men’s basketball was finally tested but survived a Stony Brook scare and hung on for an 86-79 win Saturday at John J. Lee Amphitheater.

The Bulldogs (3-0) held a narrow 40-38 halftime lead over the Seawolves (3-1), who went 8-for-14 from three-point range in the stanza.

Yale was up 46-43 and then went on a 15-6 run, keyed by two threes by senior forward Nick Townsend.

Stony Brook cut the score to 74-70 at the 2:12 mark. Then junior guard Trevor Mullin hit a key trey and Yale never looked back.

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Yale men’s basketball notches road rout of Quinnipiac

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Yale men’s basketball dispatched preseason MAAC favorite Quinnipiac (1-2) in Hamden, Conn. last night, 97-60. Yale (2-0) was down early and grabbed a 24-23 lead over the hosts (1-2) and the Bulldogs were off to the races.

“It was a great team performance. Our kids played really well together,” said coach James Jones.

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