Commitments have been accepted. Rosters are starting to take shape. Summer practices will commence shortly ahead of the 2025-26 men’s college basketball season. Bryant was the only school in the state that had something to celebrate two months ago, and even that has been tempered slightly by the departure of its head coach. Brown, Providence and the University of Rhode Island all fell short of making a realistic push for NCAA Tournament bids. The Bears didn’t qualify for Ivy Madness, which they hosted on the East Side, while the Friars and Rams both lasted one game at their respective conference tournaments. What awaits this November when the ball goes up again? This era of constant player movement through the transfer portal and pools of cash on hand for name, image and likeness rights makes that more difficult to predict than ever. Even traditional blue bloods like Kansas and North Carolina have struggled to find the correct mix of retained veterans, contributing newcomers and developing prospects. To meaningfully grow at this point could involve addressing your own deficiencies above anything else. How you approach building a roster and cultivating a winning style of play still carries tremendous value. Marry that with the right talent and you could find a way to March Madness either through an at-large selection or conference tournament glory. Need a break? Here are four primary questions that must be answered by each program based on what we saw in 2024-25.
Andrew Smith was excited about winning his first RIIL Boys Tennis State Singles Tournament title. He just felt bad about who he had to beat to do it. After semifinal appearances in first two seasons at La Salle, Smith was expected to reach Sunday’s championship match. His teammate Joe Cavanagh wasn’t, but earned the spot after a thrilling three-set win in the semifinals. There would be no upset in the final. Smith used his height (6-foot-5), wingspan, and power to take control of the match in the first set. Cavanagh tried to overcome an injury and battle back, but Smith was just too powerful en route to a 6-2, 6-1 win.
La Salle Academy wasn’t about to let this baseball rivalry rematch with Bishop Hendricken slip away. The Rams lost a late lead while falling to the Hawks in their first meeting of the season, but not on May 16. This one — despite more late thunder from the hosts — belonged to the visitors under some bright Friday afternoon sunshine. Brady Collins set an early tone with a two-run double and La Salle’s offense was relentless from there. The Rams offered plenty of support for starting pitcher Matt DeStefanis, and the veteran left-hander came up one out shy of a complete game in an 11-7 victory at Pepin Field.
This was always going to be a summer of uncertainty for the Boston Celtics. New ownership, salary-cap difficulties and whether or not to extend their head coach’s contract were already topics of discussion. A major injury that could sideline a star player for the entirety of the 2025-26 season adds another layer of intrigue. A second injury to another star player further changes the calculus. It’s taken an eyeblink to go from favorite status for consecutive championships to a potentially revamped roster and sideline staff going forward. The Celtics were in trouble against the New York Knicks even before Jayson Tatum suffered his devastating right Achilles tendon tear. Boston was trailing in the best-of-7 series after blowing 20-point leads in each of the first two games. President of Basketball Operations Brad Stevens conceded as much at his year-end press conference earlier this week. Was that just personnel underperforming? Or was it the game plans employed by head coach Joe Mazzulla, who received the brunt of the criticism, even while the Celtics were surviving against Orlando and defending the title he guided them to in 2023-24?
Every angler wants to catch big fish. Not just big, but the biggest ever, a personal best. Where to catch big fish and how to catch them is not magic. Rather, it’s all about the food. You need to be where the food is, ideally with fast-moving water that tosses bait around, making them easy pickings for larger fish. Here are some popular places and methods for catching big striped bass and summer flounder (fluke).
If you’re a sports fan, you know the kind of week we just had—the kind where every court, from your neighborhood high school gym to the roaring TD Garden, gave us moments that’ll live long in highlight reels and hometown memories. From rising stars lighting up local college basketball to the Celtics making big-time plays, let’s dive into the best of the best.
