on the next possession giving the Bobcats (2-6, 0-5) a 14-7 lead.The Bobcats had t

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. Parker also was left off the U.S. Olympic team after helping them to a gold medal in the previous two Games.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 said she 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 Fowles 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 in the fourth quarter. Parkers putback with 3:06 left gave L.A. a 71-63 lead.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 seeding format based on overall record regardless of conference 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, 11 ties and 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 WNBA trophy.Johnson, a part-owner of the Sparks, wore all black while sitting courtside to root for his team. The Hall of Famer gave the players a pep talk after their 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, also played Thursday night in Los Angeles 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, too.WOLF TRACKSThe Lynx had celebrity backing, too. Timberwolves players at the game included Karl-Anthony Towns, Andrew Wiggins, Ricky Rubio, Cole Aldrich and Nemanja Belica.---This story has corrected spelling to Fowles in 11th paragraph.Cheap NBA Jerseys China . Wall made the comment in a speech to a Regina business crowd that included Lesnar. The U.S. wrestler and retired mixed martial artist says he was visiting his brothers farm in Saskatchewan and decided he wanted to hear what the premier had to say. Cheap NFL Jerseys Shop . -- The plastic that was taped across the lockers in Oaklands clubhouse came down and the champagne that was on ice went back into the cooler. http://www.wholesalechinajerseys.net/ .J. -- New York Giants wide receiver Victor Cruz will miss the rest of the season after having surgery on his left knee. Authentic Cheap Jerseys . Didier Drogba gave away the penalty that put Senegal one goal away from a major upset, but the veteran striker will get another chance -- probably his last -- at the World Cup after Salomon Kalous injury-time strike sealed the Ivorians place in Brazil next year. Wholesale Basketball Jerseys Authentic . -- The Magic have their first victory of the new year.BOZEMAN, Mont. -- Gage Gubrud threw for a school record 520 yards and four touchdowns to different receivers to lead Eastern Washington to a 41-17 win over Montana State on Saturday.Gubrud was 37 for 51, hitting Shaq Hill, Cooper Kupp, Jayce Gilder and Zach Wemberly for scores as keep the Eagles (6-1, 4-0) unbeaten in the Big Sky Conference.The Bobcats led from the opening drive until 2:27 was remaining in the half. MSU fumbled on its own 16 and the Eagles were in the end zone two plays later on a 9-yard TD run by Antoine Custer, Jr. to take a 21-17 advantage. EWU would tack on a 49-yard field goal by Roldan Alcobendas on the final play of the half, only their second halftime lead of the season, to go up 24-17.MSU quarterback Chris Murray contributed a pair of big first quarter plays, but was held in check after that. He threw a 57-yard touchdown pass to Conner Sullivan, then ran 70 yards for a score on the next possession giving the Bobcats (2-6, 0-5) a 14-7 lead.The Bobcats had the ball deep in EWU territory twice in the third quarter, but came away empty both times as theyy failed to keep pace with the Eagles.dddddddddddd Murray fumbled on the first drive and backup quarterback Tyler Bruggman was intercepted the second.Kupp and Hill both went over 100 yards receiving for EWU as the Eagles amassed 596 yards of total offense. Kupp tied the FCS record for consecutive games with a reception at 45.Nick LaSane ran for 85 yards on just five carries for MSU, while Murray ran for 74. Murray was just 5 for 12 passing for 71 yards and two interceptions to go along with two lost fumbles.TAKEAWAYEASTERN WASHINGTON: The Eagles, coming off a bye, beat the Bobcats for the fifth straight time.MONTANA STATE: The Bobcats continue to look for their first league win under new head coach Jeff Choate.UP NEXTEastern Washington hosts Montana in a crucial Big Sky game that may have league title implications. The Grizzlies were 2-1 in the conference coming into the day.Montana State has a weekend off before going to Southern Utah on Nov. 5. ' ' '