PARAGOULD --- Lanky Marion freshman Terrion Burgess drove the baseline, attacked the rim, and scored on a reverse layup, finishing through contact. Burgess calmly sank the free throw to complete the three-point play, adding an exclamation mark to the finest offensive performance in his initial varsity season. Burgess was one of three cogs in the Marion (23-6 overall, 11-2 5A East) machine Tuesday night at Doc Paynter Court in Paragould most responsible for the Patriots' 68-56 conference win. In addition to Burgess's career-high 20 points, junior guard Jayden Forrest scored 10 points of his own, while handing out six assists. Junior Ryan Forrest, cousin to Jayden, added 10 points in addition to his four rebounds and three helpers. “Our young guys really came through tonight and showed the future of Marion basketball,” said fourth-year coach David Clark. “We feel like our state tournament run has to start now.” Marion's future came into focus early at Paragould (12-14, 3-10) as Ryan Forrest and Burgess combined for all 13 Patriot points in the opening frame. Ryan Forrest scored six first-quarter points on an array of tough looks around the rim, while Burgess scored four paint points and connected on a three-pointer to power the Pats to a 13-7 lead after the opening frame. Marion took its first double-digit lead of the night with 4:25 left in the second quarter when another underclassman, freshman Lyndell Buckingham, hit his first of two three-pointers from the corner. The Marion lead swelled to 31-15 on a Ryan Forrest jumper, and the Pats settled for a 31-18 lead at halftime. Jayden Forrest took over as facilitator in the third quarter, twice setting up Burgess for layups, while pouring in seven points of his own. Jayden Forrest's second helper to Burgess gave Marion its first 20-point lead (51-31) as Burgess completed the three-point play with 1:21 left in the third. The Pats led 53-36 entering the final stanza. Marion had to withstand a Paragould long-range shooting display in the fourth quarter. The Rams found the range four times in the final eight minutes, twice apiece from senior Isaiah Jackson and junior Blake Stormes. Stormes canned triples on back-to-back Paragould possessions, the second shaving the Marion lead to 63-54 with 1:21 left in regulation. Enter Jayden Forrest, who's proven to be Marion's most reliable free-throw shooter this season. The reigning all-state performer made three of four charities down the stretch to turn away the Rams. “We played hard all night tonight,” said Clark. “Donte Moore, in particular, played really physical, like a wild man, and I liked that. I thought we fed off of him.” Burgess's freshman season got off to a slow start due to a knee injury that forced him to miss all but one of Marion's non-conference games, and the first seven league contests. Burgess, who in November earned the first Arkansas offer to any freshman in the nation, also owns offers from Auburn, Texas Tech, Central Arkansas, and Arkansas-Pine Bluff. “We had high expectations of him, and the hard work he's put in is starting to pay off,” said Clark. “He never misses workouts, he's in the gym faithfully, even when he was hurt. We haven't seen the best of him, yet.” Jackson led all scorers with 24 points, while Stormes scored 14, and Ashton Oakes added nine. Marion hosts Jonesboro on Friday for senior night. The girls game will tip at 6 p.m., followed by senior night festivities, which will lead into the boys game. Both varsity games, and senior night festivities, will be streamed live on MarionPatriots.com and on the Marion Patriots Activities Network mobile app.