COLUMBUS, Ohio -- It’s been a long time coming on Duxberry Avenue. For the last 28 years, Linden-McKinley has not won a league title or even been close for that matter in the City League North. All of that changed on Tuesday.

Going on a 7-0 run in the final 3:25 of Tuesday’s battle for the City League North against Beechcroft (13-6, 10-3), Linden (12-7, 11-2) did what championship teams do and rose to the occasion through adversity.

The key to the late game run was senior Quannail Christian, who knocked down three crucial threes in the final nine minutes of the game that helped Linden overcome a third quarter deficit.

Christian knocked down back-to-back triples that gave Linden a much-needed 29-26 lead with 38 seconds to go in the third quarter. 

The senior, on senior night, came alive later in the fourth quarter when he hit another big-time three to give Linden its final lead of the game at 38-35 with 3:08 remaining.

From that point forward, Beechcroft never scored again, as Linden’s defense came alive in the biggest moment of the game. Beechcroft had a chance to cut into the lead when sophomore Amani Lyles got three offensive rebounds, however, the 6-foot-7 forward missed three putback attempts and the Cougars missed the front end of a one-and-one moments later.

Linden wrapped up the game at the free throw line as LB Towns and Shamarion Rogers, who went 10-for-12 at the line on the night, to put the game away. With sophomore and leading scorer LA Walker out with a foot injury, Linden's supporting cast did an outstanding job to fill in for its fallen star. 

The three-point shooting of Christian, who went for a much-needed 13 points on three crucial triples, was key in the win. With Walker out, Linden needed someone to step up as Christian, Rogers and junior Chance Groce combined for 38 of Linden’s 42 points.

For Beechcroft, leading scorer and sophomore JJ Simmons had a forgettable night, going for two points on a single field goal, as Groce did an outstanding job defending him on the ball. When Groce wasn’t checking Simmons, Linden’s other small guards in Christian, junior guard Aamari Forte and sophomore LB Towns did a good job on the City’s top scoring guard.

Senior Davon Wooden stepped up in a major way, scoring 15 points and 11-straight in a spree that lasted between the second and third quarters. Lyles had a big-time showing on the interior with 11 points, blocking or altering nearly every shot in his area. 

With the win, Linden completes an improbable run to the City League Championship, as the Panthers have won eight-straight league games and haven’t lost since Dec. 20 against Centennial. The Panthers have been an inspiration this season, following the lead of Groce and second-year coach Kevin Darthard, to make history and take over the North.

Linden will more than likely take on Walnut Ridge at Africentric in the City League Championship on Saturday, Feb. 15 at 12 p.m.

This year’s City League Championship will have a certain mystique to it as both programs haven’t won a City League title in more than 28 years, with Linden’s last title coming in 1992 and Walnut Ridge’s title coming in 1971.