Score: Keystone College 108, Elmira College 105
Records: Keystone (1-1), Elmira (0-2)
Location: Speidel Gymnasium – Elmira, N.Y.
 
ELMIRA, N.Y. -- The Elmira College men's basketball team suffered a crushing 108-105 defeat at the hands of Keystone College in the opening game of the EC Tip-Off Tournament on Saturday afternoon at Speidel Gymnasium. The Soaring Eagles were led by Jeremy Every'20 and Henry Cuffee '19, who both tallied a game-high 23 points.

After a tough battle for the first 40 minutes of play, the score sat tied at 91-91, which meant the bout was heading to overtime. The two teams traded the lead for much of the overtime period. With just 1:06 remaining in the tilt, EC took a 105-104 lead after a Hayden Harkins'18 trey. Harkins was set up beautifully in the coroner to receive a pass from Cuffee off of a rebound which he buried for three points.

Unfortunately for the Purple and Gold, this would be their final points of the contest, as stingy defense and good foul shooting propelled the Giants to a 4-0 run to end the game. Elmira missed its two shot attempts in the final minute of overtime, sealing the non-conference loss.

Cuffee and Harkins kept Elmira in the contest in the overtime period, as the duo each tallied six points in the frame. Cuffee finished the bout with a game-high 23 points and 10 rebounds, his second consecutive game with a double-double, in addition to a career-best six assists. Harkins was not far behind with 15 points, most of which came via clutch 3-pointers. Before overtime, EC was led by Every, who tallied 21 of his career-high 23 points in regulation.

The contest started off slowly for the Soaring Eagles, as the Giants stormed out to a quick 26-19 lead 9:58 into the game. Keystone continued to grow its advantage with a 14-1 run, which grew Elmira's deficit to a game-high 20 points, 40-20.

EC did not let this 20-point hole deter itself, however, as it went on a 22-6 run of its own to cut the margin to just four points, 46-42, heading into the halftime break. This late push was highlighted by the play of Cuffee, who tallied seven points in the stretch.

With this new-found momentum, Elmira came out at the start of the second half and took a 47-46 lead following a Jesse Adelson '20 free throw with 18:20 remaining in regulation. That was the Purple and Gold's first lead since the score sat at 13-11 early in the first half. From this point, the two teams started to trade buckets for the next 6:47 until the Giants took a five-point advantage, 59-54, with 11:37 remaining.

The Soaring Eagles again answered by scoring 10 of the next 13 points to retake the lead 64-62. This run was capped off by beautiful and-one from Justin Porrett '19. The guard from Dumont, New Jersey, drove right into the middle of the paint and sunk a scoop shot over Keystone's center despite being fouled in the process. Porrett stepped to the line and nailed the free throw. Porrett finished the afternoon with 18 points, nine rebounds and five assists.

At this point, the two teams again started to trade buckets until the Giants took an 87-82 lead with just 44 seconds remaining. Porrett again answered by scoring four of the next five points, cutting the deficit to two points, 88-86. After playing the foul game for much of the final minute, the Soaring Eagles found themselves down just three points with 12 seconds remaining. Facing a three-point deficit, EC looked to sharpshooter Harkins to knot the game up, and that's just what he did. Elmira drew up the inbounds play to go straight to Harkins, who buried the trey, tying the score at 91-all. Neither team was able to score in the final 12 seconds which sent the contest into overtime.
 
News and Notes

• Elmira falls to 0-2 on the young season.
• Today's bout was EC's first overtime game since its 87-78 overtime setback to St. Lawrence on December 4, 2016.
• The Soaring Eagles have not scored at least 105 points since the 2000-01 season finale against Cazenovia, when they tallied 108 against the Wildcats.
• Elmira has not allowed 108 points since Ithaca scored 112 on January 2, 2009.
• Every's 23 points is a new career high for the sophomore.
• The 23-point total from Cuffee is the second-highest of his EC career.
• Cuffee also registered the fifth double-double of his collegiate career, his second consecutive this season.
• Cuffee also posted a career-best six assists in today's bout.
• Porrett's 18 points are a season high.
• The 18 points scored by Adelson is a new season high for the sophomore and is the second-most of his career.
• Adelson's eight boards are a career high.
• Both Alex Ischiropoulos '20 and Mason Weir '21 saw their first game action of the season in today's contest.

 
Up Next
Elmira will return to action tomorrow, as it challenges Oswego State in the consolation game of the EC Tip-Off Tournament. The non-conference bout is slated to begin at 2:00 p.m. at Speidel Gymnasium.