Goalkeeper Jack Butland is close to agreeing a new long-term contract at Stoke City.The 23-year-old England international has been in fine form this season and Stoke are looking to tie him down to a new deal, which could be for as long as five years.Butlands current contract runs until 2019 but it seems Stoke want to reward him for his efforts during a campaign in which he has emerged as a genuine rival to Joe Harts position as England No 1. Butland has been capped three times, keeping clean sheets against Lithuania and France last autumn, and currently appears poised to travel to Euro 2016 as Harts chief back-up.He took over as the Stoke No 1 this season after Asmir Begovic joined Chelsea and has kept 10 clean sheets in his 30 matches, conceding 36 goals.Also See:Butland aims for Euro startStoke City newsKarl Mecklenburg Youth Jersey . They reached the 100-point plateau for the fourth time in five games, bested the visiting Trail Blazers by 34 in the paint and scored 19 of the final 25 points in regulation. Von Miller Jersey . No. 13-seeded John Isner and No. 21 Philipp Kohlschreiber were among six players who dropped out of the tournament on Tuesday, joining No. 12 seed Tommy Haas and two other players who withdrew on Monday. http://www.broncosrookiestore.com/Broncos-Bradley-Chubb-Jersey/ . The defence is doing its part, too. Drew Brees threw a pair of touchdown passes in the first half and the guys on the other side made sure that was enough, sending the Saints to a 17-13 victory over the Atlanta Falcons on Thursday night. Steve Atwater Womens Jersey . Robredo, ranked No. 16, bounced back from an upset loss to Leonardo Mayer in the second round of the Royal Guard Open in Chile last week to down Carreno Busta in 1 hour, 25 minutes. On a day filled mostly with qualifying matches, fifth-seeded Marcel Granollers of Spain also entered the second with a 7-5, 3-6, 6-2 win over Aljaz Bedene of Slovenia, while Guido Pella of Argentina defeated Guillermo Garcia-Lopez of Spain 7-6 (6), 6-4 to advance. Drew Lock Youth Jersey . With the short-handed Warriors needing help from someone -- anyone -- to stop a three-game skid, ONeal returned from right knee and groin injuries that had sidelined him for four games and put up season highs with 18 points and eight rebounds. It was just enough to help lift Golden State to a 102-101 victory over the New Orleans Pelicans on Tuesday night.COLUMBIA, S.C. -- New faces, new building. Same old quest for the Clemson Tigers.The mens basketball team has not made the NCAA Tournament since coach Brad Brownells first year in 2011, which ended a program-record run of four straight bids to the Big Dance. Since then, its been close but no cigar for the Tigers despite winning 10 games in the rugged Atlantic Coast Conference and had a first-team all-ACC performer in both 2014 and 2016.Brownell understands all too well its time for the Tigers to hear their names called on selection Sunday.Weve got to get over the hump and get to the NCAAs. That what were pointing to, he said.The Tigers, 17-14 last season, may have enough talent to make that happen, starting with all-ACC forward Jaron Blossomgame .Blossomgame, a graduate student who led Clemson with 18.7 points and 6.7 rebounds last year, considered jumping to the NBA draft after his breakout season last winter. Every so often, Blossomgame thinks about how his life wouldve changed if he had gone pro like friend and former teammate K.J. McDaniels did after the 2014 season.I wouldnt call them regrets, Blossomgame said. Just knowing the differences. But I know I made the right decision to come back.Particularly if Clemsons new players live up to their promise. The Tigers will have three Division I transfers in the rotation this season, all who practiced with the team last year as they waited out their time to play. Shelton Mitchell is a 6-3 guard from Vanderbilt while Marcquise Reed was the Northeast Conference freshman of the year after averaging 15 points in his lone year at Robert Morris.Elijah Thomas, a 6-9 forward who played four games at Texas A&M last season, will bolster Clemsons front court when hes eligible in December.---Some other things to watch for in Clemsons 2016-17 season:NEW BUILDING: The Tigers will once more play in Littlejohn Coliseum, which underwent a $63.5 million renovation that had the team playing last season about 30 minutes awayy in Greenville.dddddddddddd This redo features expanded weight rooms, locker rooms, meeting rooms and training rooms. It will also have fans closer to the court with the hopes an improved atmosphere to intimidate opponents.FAST STARTS: Clemson must look to stop those draining, early season losses that ruin whatever run it makes in the ACC. Two years ago, the Tigers lost November games to Winthrop and Gardner-Webb. Last year, they were beaten in nonconference games by Minnesota, Alabama, Georgia and South Carolina. We won 10 ACC games and didnt get in the NCAAs, Blossomgame said. That shouldnt happen, but we have to do better before the league starts.SMALLISH TIGERS: With the departure of 6-10 center Landry Nnoko, Clemson wont have much experienced depth on the front line. After 6-10 Sidy Djitte, things slide to little used 7-footer Legend Robertin. Brownell is hoping Texas A&M transfer Ellijah Thomas can have an impact once he returns in December.TIME TO SCORE: Brownell has relied on defense during much of time at Clemson, partly because he didnt have a lot of options in consistent scorers. Brownell believes newcomers Mitchell, Reed and Thomas can join with Blossomgame and double-digit returning scorers Donte Grantham and Avry Holmes to form a more potent attack.TIME TO SHINE: Clemson has been patient with Brownell throughout a steady building process. Now, with four years left on his contract and a shiny, expanded building to recruit, Brownell knows he must bring the program more moments like last season where it defeated three ranked opponents -- Louisville, Duke and Miami -- for the first time in school history. The players are feeling like theres a high level of commitment to us really being good and thats helped motivate them, assistant coach Dick Bender said.---Online:AP College Basketball: www.collegebasketball.ap.org ' ' '