For the first time ever, the Providence Sky Chiefs of the American Basketball Association, played a game at Bishop Hendricken High School on Saturday afternoon.

In front of a solid crowd, the Sky Chiefs powered their way past the Staten Island Vipers, 125-97, behind a game-high 26 points from Pawtucket-native Shane DaRosa, who is a product of Shea High School and Bristol Community College.

The Sky Chiefs jumped out to a 32-26 lead after the first quarter. DaRosa sparked Providence with 11 first-quarter points, while former University of Rhode Island standout, Keith Cothran, scored seven points in the opening quarter.

The Sky Chiefs continued to stretch their lead into the second quarter, as De Ronn Scott, who scored nine points in the second quarter alone, cashed-in on a strong drive to the hoop with 7:01 remaining in the first half, giving Providence its first double-digit lead of the game, 47-36.

Despite not scoring in the second quarter, DaRosa led Providence with a team-high 11 points in the first half, while Staten Island’s Kevin Brown and Latif Rivers each had a game-high 12 points over the first two quarters, as Providence took a comfortable 63-51 lead into halftime.

In the third quarter, the Sky Chiefs gradually began to pull away.

DeShaune Greene collected an offensive rebound just 40 seconds into the half and converted an easy layup to put Providence up, 67-51.

Just two and a half minutes later, DaRosa started to heat-up again, knocking down another three-pointer to give the Sky Chiefs a commanding 74-55 lead.

Towards the end of the third quarter, Greene sunk a hook shot in the paint to stretch Providence’s lead to 25 points, at 100-75.

Overall, DaRosa scored 15 points in the third quarter, including three three-pointers.

After the third quarter, the game was all but over, as the Sky Chiefs had built a 27-point lead, 104-77, in front of the crowd at Pepin Gymnasium.

In the fourth quarter, the Sky Chiefs edged the Vipers, 21-20, highlighted by a behind the back pass from Scott to Brandon Stephens, who finished at the rim for an and-one, nailing the free throw and giving Providence a 119-86 lead.

Due to Providence’s big lead, it sat many of its starters in the fourth quarter to give other players some playing time. Nevertheless, the Sky Chiefs escaped with a lopsided win.

Besides DaRosa’s 26 points, guard Corey Wright Jr. scored 17 points. Greene chipped in with 14 points, while Scott scored 13 points – nine of which came in the second quarter.

Rivers finished with a team-high 23 points for the Vipers, while Brown finished second on Staten Island with 18.

Providence was back in action on Sunday, as the Sky Chiefs took on the Jersey Express at Brown University. Results for the Sky Chiefs’ second game in as many days was unavailable at press time.

The Sky Chiefs are now 8-4 and sit in second place – a half game behind the first-place Steel City Yellow Jackets – in the ABA’s North East Conference.