Pats survive 1st round scare

Marion picks up big playoff win over Greenbrier

By Chuck Livingston

Marion School District

PINE BLUFF — Lyndell Buckingham, Jr. broke the half-court timeline and drove directly to the hoop.

Marion's standout sophomore breached the paint and lofted a floater over the outstretched arm of a Greenbrier defender.

Buckingham was already one of two Patriots in double- digit scoring in the first round of the Class 5A state tournament at the Pine Bluff Convention Center, and the game reached the final seconds knotted at 43.

The floater bounced three times on the rim before finally whispering through the net, a game-winning shot, that released an explosion of sound from the assembled Marion faithful.

The Patriot cheerleaders danced as D.J. Khalid's No.

1 hit 'All I do is win' played through the arena.

Buckingham's game-winner advanced Marion to the quarterfinal round at least for the fifth time in the past six seasons. Outright 5A East conference champion Marion (25-7 overall) will play the winner of Thursday's Lake Hamilton-Little Rock Parkview game on Friday evening.

The sophomore's shot also delivered victory to Marion despite Greenbrier erasing a six-point deficit with less than 32 seconds remaining. Marion claimed a 43-37 lead when Buckingham dished to freshman LaDaryl Robinson for a dunk with 31.9 seconds left.

On Greenbrier's previous possession, Jace Dunlap fired a three-pointer from the corner, but absorbed a foul. The senior guard connected on all three free throws to trim the Marion lead to 43-40.

The Panthers quickly fouled Marion senior guard Martavius Davis, who missed both charities with 25.3 seconds remaining.

Greenbrier collected the rebound and got the ball to Dunlap at the top of the key. The five-foot, ten-inch guard used a high screen to pop free from a good distance behind the highschool three-point line and his tying triple rattled around on the rim until it finally fell through with less than 12 seconds on the clock.

Marion entered the ball to David Brewer, who gave it to Buckingham almost immediately, setting the

See PATS, page A14

Photo by Londa Hamrick PATS

From page A6

stage for Buckingham's heroic shot.

The dramatic ending covered up a slog of a first half. The Panthers earned a 12-11 lead after the first quarter.

Greenbrier led by as many as 18-11 in the second quarter before the Pats finished the first half on a 5-1 run to get within 17-16 at the break.

The Marion spurt started with a Jermiah Miller stickback, followed by a Dawon Smith free throw, and when Mitrell Lewis scored a layup, the Pats were within a point.

Marion hit Greenbrier with a 12-2 run to close the third period, while taking its first lead since early in the first quarter. That run began when Jalen White scored a layup, followed by a Davis free throw, and a White charity gave the Pats a 2321 lead with 3:14 left in the third. The run concluded when Buckingham canned a jumper for a 29-23 lead, and the Pats led 31-24 after three frames.

The Patriots led the entire fourth quarter until Dunlap's three-pointer.

Buckingham scored a game-high 15 points to go along with four rebounds, and three assists. White checked in with 12 points and six rebounds, and Brewer finished with six points and three boards.

Dunlap led Greenbrier with 14 points, while Aiden Berry put up 12 points.

What’s Next?

Marion plays the winner of Thursday's anticipated clash between Lake Hamilton (24-4 overall) and Little Rock Parkview (16-13) on Friday evening.

Every Marion game at the state basketball tournament will be broadcast live on MarionPatriots.com and on the Marion Patriots Activities Network mobile app.

All three times Marion has played for a boys state championship, the Patriots have defeated Lake Hamilton in the state tournament. Marion downed Hamilton in 1993's opening round before taking down semifinal victories in 2019 and 2022. Marion's 2019 conquest of Lake Hamilton doubled as the Wolves' only loss in its home arena that season.

The Pats would go on to win the state title.

Marion also downed Parkview in the 2019 state tournament, and the teams were members of the 7A/6A East blended conference from 2010-2012.