COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Last year it was a game-winning three from now-senior Amani Lyles, this year it was the size and interior presence of the Cougars that got the best of the Panthers as Lyles scored 18 points, grabbed 12 rebounds and 3 blocks to lead Beechcroft (12-2. 10-0) past Linden-McKinley (12-5, 8-2), 62-55.

The Cougars now hold sole possession of first place and a two-game lead in the City League North and now have the inside track to going back to the City League Championship game for a second straight season and third time in five years.

The energy in the building built to a fever pitch as Beechcroft controlled the tip to start the ballgame. Seniors Javo Jordan and Jamari Strickland were dynamite to open the game, sinking the first two baskets en route to a 5-0 lead. Beechcroft went on a 10-0 run in the opening frame after Linden took their only lead of the half at 8-7, sprinting out to a 17-8 lead towards the end of the first. Jordan’s four free throws gave him eight of his 14 total for the game while Strickland dropped all of his seven points and Beechcroft went to the bench after the first quarter up 21-13. 

A 6-2 run from Beechcroft opened the second frame and was capped off with a free throw from senior Antwoin Reed, one of his nine total points. Linden-McKinley point guard LB Towns Jr. made sure to keep his team within striking distance, pouring in 14 of his 22 total points in the first half. His efforts led to a halftime score of 33-23 as the Cougars got big contributions from their best player, senior Amani Lyles in the second quarter as he put up six of his team-high 18 in the second eight minutes. 

After the intermission, the Panthers showed the kind of grit and resilience that fans have come to expect, climbing back into the game with the help of their two senior leaders as Towns and LA Walker combined to score 15 of their teams 18 points in the quarter. Meanwhile, the defense of Linden-McKinley was able to hold Beechcroft to 11 points which was the lowest quarter output of the game for the Cougars. The surge was enough to cut a 10 point halftime lead to three entering the money quarter after LB Towns hit two free throws off of a Beechcroft technical foul with 8.5 seconds remaining. 

In the fourth quarter, the Cougars were able to jump out on a 6-2 run which was capped off by an Amani Lyles dunk and swelled the lead back to 10 points at 53-43. Once again Panther senior LB Towns responded with a triple to cut the lead and give light to Linden-McKinley. Another seven straight from Beechcroft once again ballooned the gap until Linden senior Malakhi Armistead drained his first shot of the game, a three that halted the momentum of the game for a split second. Linden-McKinley fought and tried to get back in the game as senior Victor Harvison scored four straight and Armistead ended the scoring for the Panthers with a jumper and they fell to Beechcroft 62-55. Ironically enough, Beechcroft scored 62 points in last year's meeting against Linden as well. 

The defense of Beechcroft buckled down in the final frame, holding both Walker and Towns scoreless in the last quarter.

Senior Anthony Watkins added six and JJ Simmons pitched in eight to round out the scoring for the Cougars. The senior-laden Beechcroft team goes home tomorrow to host the International Lions. 

LA Walker scored 13, including seven in the third quarter, Harvison added seven, both sophomore Philip Towns and Malakhi Armistead pitched in five points each and junior Chris Towns scored three to finalize the scoring for the Panthers. Linden-McKinley will visit Centennial before Northland comes to their home on Friday. 

The win for Beechcroft will give the Cougars a major case for the No. 1 seed in Division II. No team has a better win than on the road against Linden, who came in at No. 1 in our power rankings, which will serve the Cougars well. A COVID-19 shortened season led to Beechcroft falling in the district semifinals a year ago, something the Cougars are looking to avenge with a deep run in the final go around for this deep class of seniors.

For Linden, the Panthers fall two games behind Beechcroft and are once again tied with Northland in the division. There's still a ton to play for, however, as Linden will likely be a top 3-5 seed in Division II and will have a strong chance to win their first district title since 2005.

Amani Lyles (6’8 HB / Beechcroft / 2022): A force on both ends all night, Lyles was locked in from the opening tip and ended the game with 18 points, 12 boards and 3 blocks on the night. His ability to finish around the rim is amazing and he couples that with really good footwork on the block. The senior is also able to handle the ball consistently for his size, able to start and finish a break by himself. Lyles shines defensively though, not only was he able to block multiple shots but he also affected more with his presence in the way that drivers had to either shoot difficult layups or pass it back to beyond the three-point line. Amani was flat out the best player on the court on Monday night and he led his team to a big win, Division I schools not giving this young man a look are fooling themselves. Not only does he have untapped potential, but he is an excellent young man with good grades and high character. He will only get better when he gets to the next level. 

LB Towns Jr. (5’10 PG / Linden-McKinley / 2022): In the dictionary of phrases, directly next to the phrase “heart over height” you'll see a picture of this young man. Towns led all scorers with 22 on the night and did it in a myriad of ways. He hit three triples to show some range, hit mid-range jumpers, finished at the rim and got to the free throw line where he knocked down five-of-six. He fought all night and was able to keep his team in the game until pretty much the bitter end. No one can undersell this young man’s competitiveness and poise as he never allows the moment to get too big for him, no matter the game. Not only can he sit in the chair on defense to play at a high level, he can sit at a desk and get his work done at a high level as well. Towns has a 3.8 GPA (one of seven Panthers with over a 3.7 GPA, insane!) which is more impressive than any stat he can produce in a basketball game.

Antwoin Reed Jr. (6’5 TB / Beechcroft / 2022): Reed was a load to handle all night, no matter in what area. The senior was able to score around the rim, rebound consistently and be a force in the middle along with Amani Lyles. He helped clog up the paint and make driving lanes to the basket virtually impossible. Reed also had one of the best full court passes you’ll see in City League basketball this season, hitting his senior running mate JJ Simmons in stride for a layup. On the grass, he’s a tight end with a lot of potential, but on the court he is an effective traditional big that comes through for his team when they need him. We love Reed's energy and attitude, as he never takes anything away from his team and brings a jolt of confidence and toughness any time he is on the floor.

LA Walker (6'5 SG / Linden-McKinley / 2022): Walker had perhaps the toughest assignment of any player on the floor on Monday. He has carried Linden in the scoring department all year, but on Monday, he was needed more for his defense on Lyles as the Panthers' biggest player. While at the next level, Walker would likely never defend a player like Lyles one on one, that was the case on Monday and we liked the way that Walker competed. While his 13 points were lower than his 24 PPG average, Walker showed flashes of the productive college player that we know he will be. The 6-foot-5 guard is a natural scorer who can really finish at the rim. We love the way he plays through contact, as he has greatly improved his physicality and toughness over the last few years. With seniors like Walker and Towns, Linden feels confident in any game it steps into, as this duo has the capability to take this team further than they've been for the last 17 years. Do not be surprised if you see Walker go on a scoring rampage in the district tournament to lead Linden on a deep run. 

JJ Simmons (5'10 PG / Beechcroft / 2022): Simmons earns a write up simply for his toughness, unselfishness and impact on winning last night. The senior took on the role of defensive disruptor, taking on the duo of Towns and Walker and doing an excellent job containing them. Simmons makes winning plays, as he dives on the floor for loose balls, has active hands, takes charges, forces steals and is a willing passer that helps Beechcroft move the ball with great rhythm. While some coach's sons would maybe feel entitled, that is not the case for Simmons, as he sells out for his teammates each time out. He has the scoring ability to take over a game, but understood that Beechcroft would need its bigs to dominate yesterday's game and made the types of plays to help the Cougars roll to a big road win. In today's era of "look at me" type players, Simmons is a throwback old school kid that just loves to win with his brothers. Those are the type of guys we love to write about. 

Javo Jordan (5’11 SG / Beechcroft / 2022): Jordan was one of the two guards that got the Cougars going early, he also helped close it late. His eight points in the opening quarter boosted Beechcroft to 21 first quarter points and his steal followed by a layup basically sealed the game. Jordan proved that he can hit big-time shots when called upon and not turn the ball over in big moments. The senior comes with experience and is one of the glue guys a team will always need, he dives on the floor for loose balls and gets his hand on the basketball for deflections while being able to man up defensively. A sleeper recruit that small schools should have on their radar.