NOTRE DAME, Ind. — The Holy Cross College men’s basketball team opened its 2025–26 campaign in impressive fashion Wednesday night, taking down East-West University 86–58 inside McKenna Arena.
The Saints came out strong from the start, jumping to a 39–30 halftime lead before pulling away in the second half with a 47-point showing. Holy Cross shot 47.8% from the field and outrebounded the Phantoms 50–32, showcasing their depth and efficiency on both ends of the court.
Leading the way was Donovan Waleskowski, who poured in 18 points on 5-of-13 shooting while adding five rebounds. Jayden Sanders followed closely with 19 points and 10 rebounds, recording a double-double to start the season. AJ Roseman added 12 points and five assists, including three makes from beyond the arc, while Davide Brembilla also reached double figures with 12 points and nine boards.
Beau Barhams provided a strong interior presence with eight points and a team-high eight rebounds, helping the Saints dominate the glass 50–32.
The Saints’ balanced offense featured five players in double digits and 16 team assists, while their defense held East-West to just 32.3% shooting. Holy Cross also scored 16 second-chance points compared to just four for East-West.
With the victory, the Saints move to 1–0 on the season. They’ll look to carry their momentum into their next matchup this weekend where they will take on Andrews University at 8:30PM November 1st!