JONESBORO --- Marion head basketball coach David Clark was almost afraid to ask the question. Immediately following Marion's 51-45 loss to Valley View on Friday night inside Blazer Gym, Clark approached the scorer's table and asked how many free throws the Blazers shot on the night. When told the number was 43, Clark wadded up his tie and slowly trudged back to the visitors' locker room. In a game that was essentially meaningless for Marion, which clinched the outright 5A East title and subsequent No. 1 seed for the state tournament a week ago, the Pats committed an eye-popping 39 team fouls, allowing Valley View to make 33 of its 43 free-throw attempts. Marion will be the No. 1 seed from the 5A East in next week's state tournament, while Valley View clinched the final spot from the 5A East in the state tournament with the victory. Valley View won despite making just eight of its 25 field-goal attempts. Valley View senior Jackson Harmon paced the Blazers with 19 points, including a 14-of-15 performance from the free-throw line. Oliver Barr chipped in with 8 points, and Gavin Ellis added 7. Marion (24-7 overall, 13-1 5A East) got a game-high 24 points from sophomore Lydnell Buckingham, while Kayden Nesbitt added 8 points and 7 rebounds. Valley View (10-13, 7-7) made eight of its 10 first-quarter free throws, and the Blazers ended the first quarter on an 11-3 run to lead 15-10 after eight minutes. The Blazer lead hit seven points early in the second stanza, but Marion responded with a 12-0 run, helping the visitors to a 26-22 bulge at halftime. Buckingham scored the first five points of the spurt, swishing a three-pointer before canning a pair of free throws to get the Pats within 17-15. Sophomore Mikell Lewis stole a Valley View pass and turned it into a layup to tie the game before LaDaryl Robinson scored on a runner, Anthony Wilson split a pair of freebies, and Jalen White made both ends of a one-and-one to give Marion a 22-17 lead with 2:31 left in the first half. The Pats led 26-22 at halftime. After two quarters, Valley View had connected on just two of its 12 field goal attempts, including an 0-for-six showing in the second quarter. The Blazers stayed afloat through a half by making 15 of 18 free throws. The hosts got back into the game in the third period, forcing six Marion turnovers and allowing the Pats to make just one of their six field goals. Valley View made just two of its eight field goals in the third, but a stellar seven of nine on free throws added up to a 34-31 Blazer lead after three quarters. Marion tied the game twice in the fourth quarter, when Buckingham hit a three-pointer on the initial possession of the frame, and when Buckingham scored on a runner to make it 36-36 with 6:20 remaining. From there, Marion only got as close as three points twice as Valley View made 12 of 18 free throws in the fourth quarter to turn Marion away. WHAT'S NEXT? Marion opens its run at this season's Class 5A state tournament in Pine Bluff at 8:30 p.m. Tuesday Night against Greenbrier (14-14 overall, 8-6 5A West). Every Marion game at the state tournament will be broadcast on MarionPatriots.com and on the Marion Patriots Activities Network mobile app. FINAL 5A EAST STANDINGS Marion 13-1 Nettleton 12-2 Greene Co. Tech 7-7 Valley View 7-7 Searcy 6-8 Paragould 6-8 W. Memphis 4-10 Batesville 1-13 CLASS 5A STATE TOURNAMENT MATCHUPS Maumelle Sheridan 2:30 2/28 Siloam Springs Greene Co. Tech 5:30 3/1 Pine Bluff Sylvan Hills 5:30 2/28 Nettleton Van Buren 8:30 3/1 MARION Greenbrier 8:30 2/28 Lake Hamilton LR Parkview 2:30 3/2 Harrison Valley View 2:30 3/1 Vilonia Hot Springs 5:30 3/2