Friar freshmen helping to spark fast start

Hide captionPROVIDENCE – When any successful college basketball program adds a talented recruit or two, the coach usually crosses his fingers and hopes for the best when he initially inserts the youngster into a game. If all goes well the wide-eyed freshman is ready for the big games by Christmas.

That’s not the case at Providence College this season. From opening night, coach Ed Cooley has thrown guard Makai Ashton-Langford and big man Nate Watson to the wolves. Ready or not, they’re playing and contributing.

The early returns have been very positives for both players. That’s especially encouraging because the Friars (5-1) have faced a rugged schedule with games against teams from the Big…