Pats score first 12, roll through Rams
6A-EAST BOYS
MARION 73, PARAGOULD 30
MARION — Marion scored the game’s first 12 points, forced 27 turnovers and outrebounded Paragould 33-21 en route to a 73-30 victory Tuesday at Fidelity Bank Arena.
“We played some pretty good defense,” Marion Coach Emmanuel Wade said. “I thought we were very active on defense, and tonight we made a bunch of shots early on, and that definitely helped us get out in front.”
Nine Patriots scored against the Rams, including a game-high 15 points from Lyndell Buckingham and LaDaryl Robinson, while Daryan Selvey Jr. finished with 11. Marion senior forward Kayden Nesbitt, Robinson, and Jalen White stacked eight rebounds apiece, while White blocked four shots.
Jesse Beliew scored 8 points, Kaden Calhoun 6, and Reese Randleman 5 for Paragould (8-11, 1-3 5A-East).
Robinson turned his first offensive rebound of the night into a layup before he made a three-pointer on Marion’s (112 overall, 4-0) following possession for a 5-0 lead with 5:59 left in the first quarter.
Buckingham and Nesbitt scored in the paint to extend the run and Buckingham fed Robinson for a layup for an 11-0 lead. A Nesbitt free throw pushed the Pats’ lead to 12-0. Marion led 21-9 after the first.
The Marion run extended into the second quarter when White hit a layup, Robinson threw down a dunk and Buckingham and Nesbitt each hit jumpers for a 29-12 lead.
Buckingham scored on back-to-back possessions late in the second quarter, which set up a Selvey three-pointer. When David Brewer rattled home a jumper to beat the second-quarter buzzer, Marion led 39-19.
“We came out tonight with a great mentality,” said Wade. “We bought in on defense, we moved the ball on offense, and we attacked the glass for rebounds.”
Brewer scored the first five points of the second half, making a layup and a three-pointer for a 44-19 lead. The Marion lead reached 4819 following a Buckingham layup and a pair of Robinson free throws.
Paragould strung together six points in a row from there when Calhoun hit a pair of shots and Zach Fields hit a runner.
From there, Marion closed out the frame by scoring the quarter’s last 12 points to trigger the sportsmanship rule.
Marion’s lead plateaued at 43 points when Selvey hit a layup with less than a minute left in regulation.
GIRLS MARION 52, PARAGOULD 22
Marion forced 35 Paragould turnovers and allowed just four field goals after halftime Tuesday at Fidelity Bank Arena.
The Lady Patriots (10-6 overall, 2-2 5A East) only gave it away 17 times and outrebounded the Lady Rams (1-15, 0-4) by a 25-18 margin.
“I was glad we were able to play 12 girls tonight, and everyone came in and did their job,” Marion Coach Shunda Johnson said. “We didn’t really lose a step tonight, no matter who came in for us, and that’s so massive.”
Of the 12 players to appear, 11 Lady Patriots scored, led by Joniya Lewis’s 8 points and 6 rebounds, Maryah Rucks’ 7 points and 6 boards and Survanna Clay’s 6 points.
Maddie Harrel finished with 7 points and 5 rebounds, Halee Benson scored 6 and Hadley Luke added 4 points for Paragould.
Marion forced 24 Paragould turnovers before halftime.
“We sent out two groups tonight, and they each had different assignments,” Johnson said. “One of the groups brought it to the frontcourt, which was a good call. We knew their primary ball-handler was a good player, so we wanted to speed her up the best way we could.”
Marion held Paragould to 4 of 15 shooting from the field in the second half. The Lady Pats forced 11 turnovers after halftime.
“We challenged our team to not let them score in the second half,” Johnson said. “We know how we defend when we set our minds to it. I liked most of what I saw tonight in every phase.”