The Queen's Gaels extended their winning streak to 12 games with a hard-fought 86-79 victory over the Ontario Tech Ridgebacks at the ARC on Saturday night. The win improves Queen's record to 13-1 and highlights their resilience as one of the top teams in the OUA East.

Luka Syllas (Concurrent Education) delivered a standout performance, leading the Gaels with 26 points, nine rebounds, and six steals, including a clutch three-pointer and critical free throws in the closing minutes. Ollie Engen (Kinesiology) contributed 17 points and eight assists, controlling the tempo of the game and orchestrating crucial plays down the stretch.

The game opened with high energy, as both teams traded baskets in a fast-paced first quarter. Queen's found an offensive rhythm late in the frame, with Engen sinking a fadeaway jumper and converting an and-one opportunity to help the Gaels take a 26-18 lead.

In the second quarter, the Gaels showcased their defensive tenacity, forcing turnovers that led to transition points. Lucas Ponting (Commerce) knocked down a pivotal three-pointer to ignite the home crowd, while Aaron Tennant (Commerce) added a tough finish in traffic, drawing a foul and converting the and-one. Despite building a 20-point lead, Queen's struggled with turnovers, allowing the Ridgebacks to close the gap to 47-33 by halftime.

Ontario Tech mounted a strong comeback in the third quarter, trimming the deficit to six points. The Gaels' shooting efficiency dipped, but Scott Jenkins (Concurrent Education) provided a spark with a pull-up three-pointer and timely defensive plays. Ponting drained another three in the final moments of the quarter, giving Queen's a 62-52 lead heading into the fourth.

The Ridgebacks continued to apply pressure in the final frame, cutting the Gaels' lead to three with just over five minutes remaining. Queen's responded with key plays, including an emphatic alley-oop slam by Malcolm Bailey (Arts & Science) on a lob from Engen. Syllas hit a critical three-pointer and converted late free throws, while Tennant sealed the victory with a powerful dunk in the closing seconds.

Queen's capitalized on Ontario Tech's 22 turnovers, converting them into 23 points, while also displaying their depth with 38 points off the bench. Despite being out-rebounded 41-38, the Gaels maintained their composure in crunch time to secure the win.

The Gaels will look to extend their streak on January 24, hosting the TMU Bold at 8 p.m. Tickets are available on the Queen's Gaels website.