SEARCY --- The Marion Lady Patriots are in search of a big-time resume win as the schedule winds into February. They almost got one last Friday night at second-place Searcy. Marion led 12-4 after the first quarter, 14-13 at halftime, and was still tied with the Lady Lions at 24 headed to the fourth quarter, but the hosts made just enough plays down the stretch to nip Marion 38-34 at Lion Arena. Searcy took off on an 8-0 run in the fourth quarter to give the hosts proper breathing room. Searcy (20-5 overall, 8-2 5A East) got a game-high 13 points and 12 rebounds from London Flowers in the victory, while Eva Roberts and Jayden Bowman scored six points apiece. Marion fell to 14-10 overall and 5-5 in the 5A East despite getting 11 points from Madison Glaspie, and eight points apiece from Ny'Asia Jackson and Jada Cheers. Marion scored the first four points of the opening quarter, and the Lady Patriots led by as many as 10 points in the opening frame before settling for a 12-4 victory after one period. Searcy got back into it in the second quarter by forcing six Marion turnovers, snatching five offensive rebounds, and letting the Lady Pats make just one of 12 second-quarter field goal attempts. Bowman, Chip Johnson, and Flowers all made shots in the second period as Searcy got within 14-13 at halftime. A Flowers layup to open the third-period scoring gave Searcy its first lead (15-14) with 7:09 left in the third period. That's when Marion's Jalee Meeks converted a three-point play, leading to layups from Jackson and Cheers as the Lady Pats pulled back in front 21-15. Flowers and Bowman combined to score the last five points of the third quarter to help Searcy hit the fourth quarter knotted at 24 apiece. Searcy hit Marion with the game's decisive 8-0 early in the fourth, launching when Johnson made four free throws in a row for a 30-26 lead with 6:23 left. Layups from Bowman and Flowers gave the Lady Lions a 34-26 lead with 4:52 remaining. Marion got close down the stretch when Cheers and Joniya Lewis connected on jump shots, and Jackson got the visitors within 38-34 with 15.6 seconds remaining, but Searcy possessed the ball long enough to kill the clock. WHAT'S NEXT? Marion continues 5A East play on Tuesday night when the boys and girls teams travel to play Batesville. The junior varsity games tip off at 5 p.m., followed by the girls varsity contest at 6 p.m., and the boys game is underway around 7:30 p.m. This game will not be broadcast on MarionPatriots.com, but updates will be provided on the MPAN social media pages. 5A EAST RESULTS FROM 2/9 Searcy 38, Marion 34 Greene Co. Tech 41, Valley View 35 W. Memphis 57, Nettleton 52 Batesville 45, Paragould 34 5A EAST STANDINGS ON 2/12 SCHOOL CONF. RECORD Greene Co. Tech 10-0 Searcy 8-2 W. Memphis 6-4 MARION 5-5 Nettleton 5-5 Valley View 3-7 Batesville 3-7 Paragould 0-9 5A EAST GAMES ON 2/13 Marion at Batesville Searcy at Greene Co. Tech Paragould at Nettleton W. Memphis at Valley View