Lady Patriots fall to tough Conway squad
Lady Wampus Cats too much for Marion in road loss
By CHUCK LIVINGSTON
Marion School District
CONWAY — In her quest to play the best competition available, Marion girls basketball coach Shunda Johnson has adopted an “anytime, anywhere,” mentality to non-conference scheduling.
That philosophy took her team to Class 6A juggernaut Conway on Tuesday night.
Yes, Conway, which has moved players en masse to major college basketball over the past six seasons.
Playing in the friendly confines of Buzz Bolding Arena, Conway forced 27 Marion turnovers and made 10 of 23 three-point shots to take down an 80-40 victory. The Lady Wampus Cats won the rebounding battle 43-28.
Conway improves to 8-1 overall this season with resume wins so far over Little Rock Parkview, defending Class 4A state champion Nashville, Parkway High, IL, Bartlett, TN., defending Class 5A state champion Greenwood, and Norman, OK. Chloe Clardy and Emerie Bohanon paced Conway with 14 points, while Savannah Scott scored 13 points with eight rebounds.
Marion got a game-high 16 points and eight boards from senior forward Alyse Holliman, while senior Kiera Neal hit for 13 points.
Holliman got the Lady Pats (2-4 overall) off to a fast start, scoring the visitors’ first four points of the contest for an early 4-3 lead.
That’s when Conway responded with a 12-0 run, highlighted by three-pointers from Kamille Brown and Clardy, to take a 15-4 lead.
Holliman and Neal scored in the paint to get the Conway lead back to single digits, but the Lady Wampus Cats scored the last six points of the opening quarter to claim a 23-10 advantage after one.
The 6-0 run expanded early in the second, as Clardy, who is the all-time leading scorer in Arkansas state girls’ high school basketball history, conjured up five straight points, and the Conway lead hit 3210 with 5:18 remaining in the first half. A Samyah Jordan triple gave the Lady Wampus Cats a 47-17 lead late in the second quarter, and it led 5319 at halftime.
Marion countered Conway in the third period when Holliman and Neal scored four points apiece. The Lady Pats worked within 23 points midway through the frame, but Conway finished fast once again, scoring the last eight points of the quarter to lead 72-33 after three.
Marion returns to action later this month when the Lady Pats participate in the Bryant Tournament in Bryant, Arkansas on December 21 and 22. On December 28-30, Marion will play in the competitive Duncanville Tournament in Duncanville, Texas. The Lady Pats open conference play on January 6, 2023, at West Memphis.
Marion at the hot springs trojan invitational
Prior to the Conway trip on Tuesday night, Marion played in the Hot Springs Trojan Invitational last week.
The Lady Pats finished 2-1 as tournament runners- up in the Spa City, dispatching Little Rock Episcopal and Horn Lake, Ms., before losing in the title round to Class 4A power Farmington.
Marion’s 60-32 victory over Episcopal was sparked by Neal’s 22 points, while Holliman and Aaliyah Taylor poured in 10 points apiece.
In the semifinal round, Marion overwhelmed Horn Lake 64-43 as Holliman and junior guard Ny’Asia Jackson scored 11 points, while Neal and Taylor Little scored 10 apiece.
Farmington, which has played for three consecutive Class 4A girls championships, downed Marion 51-35 in the final despite Neal’s 16 points, eight from Holliman, and five from Aya Johnson.
Marion senior Kiera Neal (3) has given the Lady Pats a boost with her strong play early this year.
Photo by Chuck Livingston
