Queen’s Men’s Basketball opened its season with a convincing win and a significantly younger roster than last year.
The Gaels defeated the Algoma Thunderbirds 86-51 on Oct. 24 at the George Leach Centre in Sault Ste. Marie, Ont., earning themselves a 1-0 start to the season. The victory marked the beginning of a new season for Queen’s, who finished 15-7 last year before falling 99-96 in overtime to the Toronto Varsity Blues in the opening round of the OUA playoffs.
Head Coach Stephan Barrie enters the season with a considerably different lineup, including the departure of leading scorer Ollie Engen, Kin ’28, who transferred to the University at Albany to compete in NCAA Division I basketball.
In an interview with The Journal, Barrie said the team’s youth will be one of its defining characteristics this season.
“This is the youngest team I think I’ve ever had,” Barrie said.
Despite the lack of experience, Barrie pointed to the number of players capable of contributing as one of Queen’s strengths.
“I think this might be one of the deepest teams that we’ve ever had here,” he said.
Engen’s departure leaves a significant gap in Queen’s lineup. The former OUA First-Team All-Star averaged 19.5 points and 4.6 assists per game last season, leading the Gaels in both categories.
Barrie acknowledged that replacing Engen’s individual production will be difficult.
“[Engen] was one of the best players in the country the last two years,” Barrie said.
Rather than relying on a single player to replace Engen, Barrie expects contributions from more players throughout the lineup.
That depth was evident in Queen’s season-opening victory against Algoma.
Ashton Bain, ArtSci ’28, led the Gaels with 17 points and seven rebounds, while Sami Uraz, ArtSci ’30, added 14 points. First-year guard Noah Budgell, ArtSci ’30, contributed 13 points and six assists off the bench.
Caeden Smith, ArtSci ’30, also made an impact in his first regular-season game, finishing with 10 points and six steals. Queen’s received 38 points from its bench in the victory.
Barrie identified Smith as one of the team’s promising newcomers, highlighting his adjustment to university competition after joining the Gaels directly from high school.
The coach also believes the team’s depth will allow Queen’s to continue playing at the fast pace that has characterized the program in recent seasons.
Queen’s entered the regular season following a successful exhibition schedule that included a 90-85 victory over Toronto on Oct. 15 at the Athletics and Recreation Centre (ARC).
The win came against the same Varsity Blues team that eliminated Queen’s from last season’s playoffs, although Barrie cautioned against placing too much emphasis on exhibition results.
“Preseason is not the time to pay too much attention to the scores,” he said.
For Barrie, managing a younger roster also means allowing players time to develop rather than expecting immediate results.
He said returning players will be important in reinforcing the team’s approach, particularly as younger athletes adjust to the demands of OUA competition.
“We obsess about our own process and obsess about being good at what we do every day,” Barrie said.
With its first regular season win secured, Queen’s now faces a challenging road weekend against the Ottawa Gee-Gees on Oct. 30 and the Carleton Ravens on Oct. 31, with both games scheduled for 8 p.m.
The Gaels will then return to Kingston for their home opener against the Western Mustangs on Nov. 6 at 8 p.m. at the ARC.
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