Patriots pummel Paragould, 82-24

Marion offense too much for Rams in big conference road win

By Chuck Livingston

Marion School District

PARAGOULD —- It would be only natural for the Marion Patriots to get caught peeking ahead to Friday night’s Senior Night showdown with Valley View with potentially a share of the conference title on the line, and almost certainly the No. 2 playoff seed in the balance.

However, Marion invaded Paragould’s Doc Paynter Court on Tuesday night with a superior focus on the task at hand.

The Patriots wowed Paragould’s Senior Night crowd by opening the game on an 11-0 run and never trailed in an 82-24 conquest over the Rams.

Marion (18-4 overall, 11-2 5A East) ripped the Rams by limiting the hosts to just seven field goal makes on 34 tries, and zero makes on 10 attempts in the second quarter.

Thirteen of Marion’s 15 varsity players scored at Paragould, led by Lyndell Buckingham’s 13 points, 11 from Mikell Lewis, and nine points apiece for LaDaryl Robinson and Chandler Randle.

Lucas Deatheridge led Paragould with six points, while Nate Brittingham scored five.

The Patriots started fast when Buckingham opened the scoring with a three-pointer, followed by a Robinson layup, and back-to-back dunks from Jalen White and Robinson gave the Pats their first double- digit lead (10-0) with 5:38 left in the opening frame.

The Marion bulge hit 17-2 on a Ronnie Townsend layup and the Pats nursed a 21-8 lead entering the second quarter.

A Randle stickback started the second-quarter scoring and sparked a 12-0 run.

The spurt rolled on with a David Brewer layup and consecutive three-pointers from

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Buckingham and Mikell Lewis gave the visitors a 31-8 advantage with 5:06 left in the second, and a pair of Lewis free throws gave Marion a 338 lead.

A Buckingham layup with 2:19 left in the first half gave Marion a 30-point lead (39-9) and the Pats carried a 45-15 lead to the halftime lockers.

Paragould’s second-quarter offense was limited to a seven-of-11 showing from the free-throw line as the Rams missed all 10 attempts from the field in the frame.

A Lewis three-pointer with 2:44 left in the third quarter gave Marion its first 40-point lead (61-19) and Marion enjoyed a 65-22 advantage to open the fourth frame.

Five Patriots accounted for Marion’s first field goals of the fourth quarter, the last was a Daryan Selvy, Jr. threepointer that pushed the Pats

ahead 74-22 with 2:20 left in regulation.

WHAT’S NEXT?

Marion hosts Valley View on Friday night for Senior Night. Marion’s three senior girls basketball players and five senior boys basketball players will be honored following the varsity girls game, which tips off at 6:00 p.m., and before the boys contest, which will tip around 7:30.

Both varsity basketball games and Senior Night festivities will be broadcast live on MarionPatriots. com and on the Marion Patriots Activities Network YouTube channel as they happen.

FEB. 20 5A EAST RESULTS

Marion 82, Paragould 24 Nettleton 80, Valley View 57 Greene Co. Tech 63, W.

Memphis 55 Searcy 53, Batesville 42

5A EAST STANDINGS

Top four teams make state tournament Nettleton 12-1 Marion 11-2 Valley View 11-2 West Memphis 6-7 Searcy 5-8 Greene Co. Tech 3-10 Batesville 3-10 Paragould 2-11

5A EAST GAMES ON FEB. 23

Valley View at Marion Greene Co. Tech at Paragould Batesville at W. Memphis Nettleton at Searcy