PROVIDENCE – Stefan Vaaks and Jamier Jones started new personal basketball chapters Monday night and helped Providence turn the page from a disappointing 2024-25 season.

The Friars won’t be wholly satisfied with these 40 minutes against Holy Cross, but they showed enough to offer some encouragement. They also found a way to close out a victory, something that was far too infrequent last year.

Providence saw a 20-point cushion cut to single digits before dispatching the Crusaders, 89-79. Vaaks led five players in double figures with 19 points and Jones added 16 without missing a shot – 7-for-7 from the field, 2-for-2 at the foul line. They were part of a 44-11 avalanche off the bench that helped the Friars separate from an old New England foe.

“Our second team beats our first team in pr

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