A little of this, a little of that with an emphasis on the Providence basketball Friars …

NORTH SMITHFIELD — The North Smithfield hockey team had reached its tipping point.

Football-wise, St. Raphael senior Andre DePina-Gray possesses a number of admirable traits.

The 2021 Call/Times All-Area Football Team features 24 selections – a healthy sum that speaks to just how strong the local talent pool was this past season. Let’s raise those helmets high in the air as we shine the spotlight on this noteworthy group that was arranged in alphabetical order pe…

NORTH PROVIDENCE — Forwards Dean Ayotte and Michael Hedquist are the fourth and fifth outside-shooting options in most of the Burrillville boys basketball team’s rotations, but with the Broncos clinging to a late lead Friday night against North Providence, the seniors delivered from deep.

Can you be reborn when you’re a 31-year-old running back and in your ninth season in the NFL?

Part of the true upper crust when the discussion centers around the best of the best players among the Mount St. Charles hockey mystique, Pawtucket’s own Keith Carney can attest to the two sides of Bill Belisle.

Emma DiPardo’s introduction to tennis started when her father signed her up for lessons at a local park in Lincoln. She was eight years old.

CENTRAL FALLS – You can say something special is brewing with the Central Falls boys basketball team.

The message in these trying times that no college sports program wants to hear – “your team has to be shut down because of COVID-19” – has finally been told to the Providence College men’s basketball program.

PROVIDENCE – Ed Cooley’s inaugural game as an NCAA Division I men’s basketball head coach took place on November 10, 2006. He was pacing the sideline at Fairfield University.

PROVIDENCE – Had he suited up Tuesday night, would A.J. Reeves have made up the 32-point thumping the Providence Friars absorbed at the hands of Marquette?

A little of this, a little of that …

PAWTUCKET – Franklin Pierce University men’s soccer head coach Ruben Resendes is someone who resonates deeply within the city’s soccer culture.

PAWTUCKET – Playing in their home gym for the first time in 22 months, the Tolman High boys basketball team overcame a slow start to run away from North Providence, 61-49, in Division II action inside Donaldson Gymnasium Thursday night.

Much has already been said about Devan Kipyego suffering an injury while playing soccer and how that setback put him on the path to become the winner of this year’s the RIIL Boys Cross Country State Championship Meet.

The current Big East leader in assists hails from Cumberland and has a “golden” opportunity to be mentioned in the same conversation as some of the more notable luminaries who have finished atop the conference in said category.

The last 12 months felt like it could have been several years blended into one.

PROVIDENCE — Their first game as a nationally-ranked team in nearly six years did not disappoint.

CUMBERLAND — One night after showing maturity and determination as a shorthanded underdog, the Tolman boys basketball team showed what it can do when all the pieces are in place.

Reflecting on what unfolded over two days last week, let’s talk big picture regarding Isaiah Miranda.

‘Tis always better to give than to receive. With that in mind, let’s see what presents Santa left under the Christmas tree …

HARTFORD – Knock, knock? Who’s there?

A little of this, a little of that …

Want some meat on that proverbial bone when it comes to the Call/Times high school boys’ basketball season preview?

After a year filled with plenty of uncertainty, the Call/Times sports department is certainly ready to welcome back a full, complete season of high school girls basketball.

For 70 seasons, Roland Hemond was known as Central Falls’ ambassador to Major League Baseball.

PAWTUCKET – Instead of putting the ball into the hands of his star sophomore guard, Shea/Tolman girls’ basketball co-head coach Walter “Bunky” Gonzalez chose to rev up his team’s inside game in hopes of ending St. Raphael’s four-year reign as Donaldson-Lynch Tournament champions.

PAWTUCKET — What took place Saturday night on arguably the brightest boys’ basketball stage in the city – the Boys & Girls Club – was a marriage between a team’s guards and low-post threats.

PROVIDENCE — In a tweet that was sent in response to the Providence College men’s basketball Twitter account posting the final score from Tuesday’s 68-58 win over Vermont, the school’s athletic director chose to shine the light on the hard truth regarding the 9-1 start to the season.

PAWTUCKET – Get ready for an all-city championship showdown in the girls’ basketball portion of the Donaldson-Lynch Memorial Tournament.

PROVIDENCE – There was plenty of Nate Watson, who emphatically snapped out of his two-game funk.

Quran Nalory has her marching orders for the next calendar year.

PROVIDENCE – How’s that for tuning up for your in-state rival?

PROVIDENCE – Jared Bynum has been ruled out for Wednesday’s late-night tip against Texas Tech. He’s using crutches to get around with his right foot in a boot stemming from an ankle injury that was sustained this past Saturday.

PAWTUCKET – One by one, they walked over to pay their respects. There were hugs. The next part of the sequence featured the conveying of words of appreciation.

PROVIDENCE — Long before Omar Minaya became general manager of the Montreal Expos and New York Mets, he dealt with travel that was taxing and featured long drives coupled with little sleep.

PAWTUCKET — There were speed bumps. Lots and lots of them since the dawn of their freshman year of playing football at St. Raphael Academy.

PROVIDENCE — “Is this Al from Indiana?”

CRANSTON — Was it possible what Lucy Noris was seeking to achieve?

WARWICK – Winter sports athletes will need to be masked up when they head indoors for the first day of official practice on Monday, Nov. 29.

PROVIDENCE — There won’t be an all-Pawtucket Division II Super Bowl. For that, you can thank an under-the-radar member of Classical’s offensive wagon along with the Purple’s defense.