The Keuka College men’s basketball team finished the 2025-26 regular season with a 103-91 Empire 8 Conference victory at Elmira College on Tuesday night.
Keuka College (12-13, 9-7 Empire 8) had five players score in double figures. Lamar Lovelace (Rochester, N.Y. / Northeast College Prep) led the way with 36 points, while Quinn VanKerkhove (Irondequoit, N.Y. / Irondequoit) posted a season-high 15 points. Ty LaBarge (Cobleskill, N.Y. / Cobleskill-Richmondville) added 11 points, his season-best, and Akinlana Popoola (Cleveland, Ohio / Padua Franciscan) and Kaleb Nutifafa (Elmsford, N.Y. / Alexander Hamilton) chipped in 12 and 11 points, respectively.
Strong Start Sets the Tone
Keuka jumped out early, forcing a turnover that turned into a fast-break layup by Lovelace. After Elmira responded with a perimeter run to briefly take the lead, the Wolves regained control behind Popoola’s steady scoring and Nutifafa’s inside presence. Midway through the first half, Keuka’s defense began to dominate, highlighted by VanKerkhove’s steal and layup that gave the Wolves the edge.
Lovelace caught fire from beyond the arc, while Marcus Reed (Queens, N.Y. / Our Saviour Lutheran) added a transition finish. Popoola converted a three-point play late in the half, and Lovelace closed the period with another basket as Keuka built a 58-41 lead at halftime.
Keuka Maintains Control in Second Half
Elmira made an early push after the break, trimming the deficit, but Nutifafa responded with strong finishes around the rim. Lovelace continued to dictate the pace, turning steals into fast-break points and stretching the lead back toward twenty. Key contributions from Malik Junious-Fuller (Queens, N.Y. / The Patrick School) and Ty LaBarge helped the Wolves maintain separation, while VanKerkhove and Popoola hit timely threes to keep momentum on Keuka’s side.
Keuka’s balanced scoring, unselfish ball movement, and relentless defensive pressure — which generated 29 points off turnovers — propelled the team to a decisive 103-91 road victory.
KC Notes
The Wolves have now won three straight against Elmira College, improving to 15-22 all-time versus the Soaring Eagles.
Keuka tied its best Empire 8 record in program history at 9-7, while 12 overall wins mark the most in a season for the program in the last 10 years.
Scoring 103 points tied for the fifth-most in a road game in program history, while 58 first-half points ranked in the program’s top ten.
Lovelace’s 36 points tied for the seventh-most in a single game at Keuka, moving him into second place on the school’s single-season points list with 532, leading the conference.
Ty LaBarge went 9-of-10 from the free throw line, led the team with six rebounds, and added five assists.
Up Next
Keuka earned the seventh seed in the Empire 8 Conference Tournament and will face the #2 seed Nazareth University on Saturday afternoon in Pittsford. The Golden Flyers won both matchups against the Wolves during the regular season.
