SEARCY --- Entering Friday night's 5A East conference tilt at Searcy's Lion Arena, there was one league opponent that Marion had not defeated over the past two seasons. After Friday's game, the number was zero. Marion improved to 13-6 overall in 2024-2025 and kept pace in the conference standings at 3-0 with a 53-43 conquest of Searcy, snapping a four-game losing streak to the Lady Lions. Senior Mariyah Rucks made her first appearance of the season following an off-season knee injury and finished with 11 points and six rebounds, while junior Jada Cheers hit for 15 points with five boards and two assists and senior Joniya “Red” Lewis scored eight points and a game-high 13 rebounds. Searcy got a game-high 22 points from standout junior guard Chip Johnson and Jamiya Wynne added 11 points. Marion was efficient on offense to start the game, connecting on eight of its 15 field goal attempts in the first quarter, including four apiece from Cheers, Rucks, and Lewis, and the Lady Pats carried a 16-5 lead to the second stanza. Junior Madison Glaspie got going in the second quarter for Marion, pouring in six points, and the Lady Pats carried a 27-18 lead to the halftime lockers. Things got tight in the third quarter when Johnson scored nine points, matching Marion's total team output in that frame and Searcy had worked within 36-30 after three frames. Searcy got within three points in the fourth period before Marion made eight of 11 free-throw attempts and committed only two turnovers to keep Searcy at bay. WHAT'S NEXT? Marion plays at Paragould on Tuesday, January 21 with the junior varsity boys contest tipping at 5 p.m., followed by the varsity girls game and the varsity boys. You can watch the varsity girls and boys games for free on MarionPatriots.com, on the MPAN YouTube channel, or on the MPAN mobile app. 5A EAST RESULTS FROM 1/17 Marion 53, Searcy 43 W. Memphis 29, Valley View 26 Greene Co. Tech 61, Nettleton 53 Batesville 68, Paragould 39 5A EAST STANDINGS ON 1/21 SCHOOL CONF. RECORD Marion 3-0 Greene Co. Tech 3-0 W. Memphis 2-1 Valley View 1-1 Batesville 1-1 Nettleton 0-2 Searcy 0-2 Paragould 0-3 Top 4 teams make state tournament at Greene Co. Tech. 5A EAST GAMES ON 1/21 Marion at Paragould W. Memphis at Greene Co. Tech Searcy at Valley View Nettleton at Batesville