Marion has no issue defeating Batesville

5A-EAST GIRLS

MARION 67, BATESVILLE 45

MARION — Marion dominated mostly every facet of Tuesday night’s 67-45 victory over Batesville at Fidelity Bank Arena.

The Lady Patriots (9-13, 6-5 5A-East) trailed the Lady Pioneers (8-17, 1-10) for just 17 seconds, while the hosts forced 24 turnovers. Marion won the rebounding margin 37-27, and the Lady Patriots stifled the Lady Pioneers into 17-of-49 shooting to pull away.

Marion senior Alyse Holliman led with 17 points and 15 rebounds off the bench, while classmate Kiera Neal had 11 points, 5 rebounds and 3 assists.

Abby Hurley paced Batesville with 14 points, while Camya Porter added 12.

The teams split the game’s first 10 points, and Batesville took its only lead on a Julia Berdeja layup that gave the visitors a 7-6 bulge.

That triggered a run of five consecutive Marion points as Jordan Johnson converted a three-point play, followed by a Dyson layup and Marion led 11-7 with 2:23 left in the first quarter.

The Lady Patriots nursed a 13-10 bulge to close the quarter.

Marion busted Batesville to open the second, scoring the first eight points of the quarter, and when Taylor Little hit a short jumper, Marion had its first double-digit lead (21-10) with 5:38 left in the first half.

Marion’s run spanned the second quarter, as Holliman added six points in the final 2:30, and the Lady Patriots took a 35-17 advantage to the halftime intermission.

Hurley scored six points in the third quarter to keep Batesville within striking distance, but Marion took its largest lead of the night (5031) when Neal and Holliman scored the final four points of the frame.

Hurley and Porter scored the first seven points of the fourth to get Batesville within 52-38, but Ny’Asia Jackson responded with a three-pointer, Johnson hit a free throw, and when Holliman scored on a rebound basket, Marion had its first 20-point lead at 58-38 with 4:40 left in the game.

BOYS

MARION 60, BATESVILLE 50

Marion played without two injured starters Tuesday and survived an off shooting night to top Batesville.

The Patriots (22-6, 11-0 5A-East) scored the game’s first 11 points and never trailed the Pioneers (5-22, 1-10).

Marion sophomore Lyndell Buckingham scored a game-high 24 points to go along with 4 assists and 3 steals, while junior Kayden Nesbitt checked in with 10 points and 4 rebounds, and freshman LaDaryl Robinson added 7 points and 4 rebounds in his first varsity game.

Matt Hendrix paced Batesville with 16 points, including four three-pointers, while Rafael Thomas scored 14 points, and Jermiah Strickland added 12.

The Patriots played without leading scorer Donnie Cheers III, who will miss the rest of the season with a foot injury. Junior forward Jalen White, Marion’s top shot-blocker and second-leading rebounder, was out of action with an ankle injury.