of 21 shots and Nemanja Bjelica added a career-high 24 points and eight re

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- Looking around the New York Giants tight ends room, Kevin Gilbride Jr. knows this is the best group of players he has been given to coach.Larry Donnell has looked good after overcoming a neck injury that sidelined him the second half of last season. Will Tye appears ready to take the next step after being the biggest surprise of the offense in 2014.Matt LaCosse and Ryan Malleck have shown flashes, and sixth-round draft pick Jerrell Adams has shown he can block but he is still learning.Add in H-back Will Johnson, and Gilbride is a busy guy.His group doesnt include a Gronk, but he has guys who can make plays, which should help Eli Manning and the offense this season.What we like to do, what we try to do is, and Im talking about when were in season, is we like to get the guys who are the best at that particular job, Gilbride said Friday after practice. Whether that be an in-line blocker, a lead blocker from the backfield, split out as the No.1 receiver, whatever the case may be. What we try to do is put that person in the position that we like them in.Donnell probably is the best and most well known in the group, having caught three touchdown passes against Washington in a 2014 night game.However, his status coming into the season was uncertain because of the neck injury that limited him to eight games last season.A week into training camp, Donnell has looked good. Other than a couple of bobbles, he has made big plays down the middle.Its a blessing just to be back here playing football, being able to put on that jersey and helmet again, and run around and do what I do, Donnell said.He said working to get back on the field wasnt tough. It was a lot tougher watching his teammates play last season.You always have to prove yourself in that league and thats what I want to get back to doing.Gilbride wants Donnell to play stronger. Thats block better and hold on to the ball once he makes catches. He has fumbled struggling to gain an extra yard.Tye made the roster as a free agent out of little Stony Brook on Long Island and had 42 catches for 464 yards and three touchdowns in 13 games, including seven starts.Hes certainly explosive with the football in his hands, Gilbride said. Then he is stout at the point of attack in the run game.What Tye needs to do is lower his pad level so he can get under opponents and move them, Gilbride said.Tye isnt taking anything for granted in this camp. He has a little more confidence than last season, but the butterflies are there.Being undrafted, you always have to prove yourself, he said. Last year I might have played in one or two preseason games. I cant wait for the preseason because I am going to play.LaCosse, who had three catches in two games last season, was getting a lot of work in camp until hurting his right knee this week. He seemingly is close to returning.He brings a knowledge of the position, number one, and hes a big target, Gilbride said, adding that the second-year player does everything well but he is not the best at all the tight end jobs.Malleck had some nice catches in the minicamp after signing as a free agent, while Adams needs to learn the playbook and adjust to playing against bigger and faster players.Its a business, you are not on a scholarship anymore, Adams said.As an H-back, Johnson can line up in the backfield and be a lead blocker, a pass protector or a receiver.Game notes Fridays practice was basically a walk-through. Coach Ben McAdoo plans a fast, physical workout before giving the team off on Sunday. ... The coach is not certain that WR Odell Beckham Jr. will practice Saturday. He was cleated in the lower leg earlier this week and has not practiced at full speed since the injury. ... Cornerback Leon Hall, who was signed on Thursdsay, worked in the slot on Friday.---AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and www.twitter.com/AP-NFL Dexter Lawrence Womens Jersey . -- Catcher Brett Hayes has agreed to a $630,000, one-year contract with the Kansas City Royals, avoiding salary arbitration. Dalvin Tomlinson Womens Jersey . Clarke was injured while practicing on the Doha Golf Club range after the pro-am on Tuesday. The Northern Irishman arrived at the course on Wednesday hoping to start, but after hitting a few balls on the practice putting green Clarke advised officials he was not fit to play. http://www.nygiantsfanaticshop.com/Black-Carl-Banks-Giants-Jersey.html?cat=864 . Now tied for second in the league in shootout goals, the 24-year-old likes to see what the opposing goaltender has in store before he ultimately lands on a move. Darius Slayton Jersey . The giant slalom world champion slipped during her first run in the morning, landing on her back and then twisting forward before getting her leg caught in the protective material on the side of the slope. Mark Bavaro Womens Jersey . The 20-year-old Pelicans big man glanced up and smiled widely at the well-wishers -- a fitting end to a day he wont soon forget. Davis responded to his selection earlier in the day as a Western Conference All-Star with 26 points and 10 rebounds, and the New Orleans Pelicans overcame a 10-point fourth-quarter deficit to defeat the Minnesota Timberwolves 98-91 on Friday night. MINNEAPOLIS -- Candace Parker and the Sparks jumped with joy on the court, joined in celebration by a guy named Magic Johnson who once made basketball championships a habit in Los Angeles.Parkers old college coach, the late Pat Summitt, was there in spirit too.Nneka Ogwumikes short jumper with 3.1 seconds left, off the rebound of her blocked shot, gave the Sparks a 77-76 victory over the defending champion Minnesota Lynx in the deciding Game 5 of the WNBA Finals on Thursday night for the franchises first title in 14 years.Parker had 28 points and 12 rebounds to earn MVP honors of the Finals and her first WNBA title, capping a trying year marked by the death of the beloved Summitt, with whom she won two NCAA championships at Tennessee.The journey to get here I wouldnt have wanted to do it with anybody else, Parker said. Its amazing when you surround yourself with good people how fun it is.Sparks coach Brian Agler started his postgame news conference by playing a recording of the Tennessee fight song, Rocky Top, from a phone in front of him at the podium. Parker cried as she leaned over to hug her coach.Ive never been around somebody that has been critiqued so hard, Agler said, and Ive never been around anyone Im happy for than Candace.Said Ogwumike: Shes been through so much. Shes probably the most misunderstood person in the league. I told her I wanted her to get one.Parker heard Summitts voice in her head, recalling the time-worn advice to focus on defense and rebounding.You cant control if shots go in or shots dont, but what you can control is defense and rebounding, Parker said.Rebekkah Brunson made one of two free throws with 23.4 seconds left to give the Lynx a 74-73 lead. Parker answered with a layup on the other end that Maya Moore countered with a jumper. Then Ogwumike hustled her way over to the loose ball after Sylvia Folwes blocked her first attempt. She coolly swished it.Lindsay Whalens heave from just inside halfcourt bounced high off the backboard, setting off the celebration for the Sparks and silencing the sellout crowd of 19,423.Moore had 23 points and 11 assists for the Lynx, who fell short of matching the WNBA record of four championships. The Houston Comets won four straight titles from 1997-2000. The Lynx played in the finals for the fifth time in the last six years. They won three.The team that won this game deserved to win the game, Moore said, so its just hard to have it come that close.Chelsea Gray reeled off 11 consecutive points for the Sparks, capping that run with a smooth up-and-under layup to put them in front 60-59 early inn the fourth quarter.ddddddddddddParkers putback with 3:06 left gave L.A. a 71-63 lead, putting the Lynx in trouble.But Moore seized the moment with a 3-pointer that brought Minnesota within four points, and Parker forced an off-balance 3 on the other end. Whalen stole the ball from Kristi Toliver and finished the fast break with a layup to tie the game at 71, setting up the final flurry.On the next play, Ogwumike hit a jumper that appeared to come after the shot clock expired. The officials signaled for a review but never looked at the basket. Los Angeles led 73-71 with just over a minute left. Seimone Augustus answered with a jumper, but those points proved to be critical.Lynx coach Cheryl Reeve, making sure to credit the Sparks for their performance was livid about the non-call afterward.Its not enough just to apologize and send out a memo that they got something wrong, OK? These players are so invested, and something must be done about the officiating in this league. Because it is not fair to these great players that we have, Reeve said.The WNBAs new postseason format with the field ordered by overall record regardless of conference sure worked well, leading to this classic matchup between the two teams that fought all summer for the top seed and featuring several of the leagues biggest stars.I hope that we gained a lot of fans from around the world and around this country, Augustus said.The game was remarkably close, with 24 lead changes and 11 ties with no team ever leading by double digits.CHAMPIONSHIP ATMOSPHEREThe sea of green T-shirts donned by almost everyone in the crowd produced a deafening soundtrack from start to finish befitting a game for the trophy.Even Johnson was there, wearing all black while sitting courtside to root for the Sparks team hes a part-owner of and spoke to after the loss at home in Game 4 on Sunday. His presence was all the more impressive considering the Dodgers, the other pro club hes invested in, were playing baseball in Los Angeles at the same time in Game 5 of their National League championship series.They had to believe they could do it on a tough home court. This team Minnesota is tremendous, Johnson said. We just beat the champions so I give them a lot of credit to.WOLF TRACKSThe Lynx had celebrity backing, too, with Timberwolves players including Karl-Anthony Towns, Andrew Wiggins, Ricky Rubio, Cole Aldrich and Nemanja Belica in the seats to support the women they share an arena with. ' ' '