LINDEN &8212; Marengo High School&8217;s girl&8217;s basketball team remains undefeated on the season after beating Linden High School&8217;s group 59-56 on the road.

But the group didn&8217;t leave the Patriot gym floor untested and won the match up after a physical, fast paced, back and forth game that almost went into overtime. The game was a roller coaster of high and lows, as each group adjusted and in turn were adjusted to.

The game started out with Linden taking a quick 4-0 lead in the first half of the first quarter. But, as would be the nature of the game, both teams went on hot streaks, exchanging the lead to end the first quarter with Marengo up 14-12.

In a fast break dominated send quarter, neither team gained an edge. The play was physical and at times resembles more a rugby scrub than a basketball game. Both team escaped the foul happy quarter, while adding 15 points to their totals to take it to the locker room with the Panthers up 29-27.

Linden came out in the second half and dominated early, using their size advantage to close down the inside. The Patriots ended the third in control of the game and with a 41-38 lead over Marengo.

But the Panthers retaliated and adjusted with a full court press that caused turnovers in the early fourth and went on a serious tear. The group not only regained the lead but looked like they had put it out of reach, getting up by 12 points with four minutes left to play.

The Patriots then decided to put up a charge of their own and behind the dominance of Meagan Hinton. Hinton fouled out of the game after her team battled within two points of the Panthers, making it 57-55 with a minute remaining. But the chance slipped away, with a desperation three-point attempt to tie from Linden&8217;s Kristi Lloyd as the clock dropped to zero.

High scorers for the Panthers were Cassandra Thomas, with 20, and Latifa Hall, with 12. Patriot leaders were Kristi Lloyd, with 18, and Meagan Hinton, with 16.