Marion Athletics -

Marion and Batesville entered play last Friday night in a virtual flat-footed tie for the fourth and final playoff spot from the 5A East to this year's state basketball tournament.

Now that distinction goes to Batesville.

The Lady Pioneers never trailed on Friday inside Fidelity Bank Arena, and they took down a 60-47 victory over Marion that gives Batesville a one-game edge for the No. 4 playoff seed, as well as the head-to-head tiebreaker over Marion should the teams finish the season tied in the standings.

Marion plays Tuesday night at Valley View and hosts Greene County Tech on Friday night to close out the regular season, while Batesville hosts Greene County Tech on Tuesday and plays at Searcy on Friday night.

The Lady Patriots got 19 points from freshman Cortlyn Brown, 14 by junior Summer Morgan, and 11 from junior Maliya Stallings.

Briley Pulliam led all scorers with 27 points, while Serenity Patterson hit for 13 and Melania Hendrix finished with 12.

Batesville bolted out to a 12-0 lead in the first period, but Marion made a bid to get back into the proceedings when Brown canned a pair of three-pointers, wrapped around a Stallings layup, and the hosts were within 18-11 by the end of the first quarter.

Marion got within 18-14 with 5:58 on a pair of free throws by Stallings, and the Lady Pats were within 20-18 after a pair of Morgan charities, and Batesville led 29-25 at halftime.

A Stallings three-pointer got Marion within 35-32 with 5:01 left in the third period, but Batesville stormed ahead 47-39 after three frames.

A Brown layup with 4:40 left in the game got the Lady Pats within 50-44, but a Hendrix layup gave the visitors a 54-44 lead with 3:14 left to essentially ice the game.

WHAT'S NEXT?
Marion concludes its 2025-2026 regular season this week with a road trip Tuesday night to Valley View and a home date on Friday with Greene County Tech.
The Greene County Tech game will also be Senior Night, and Marion's senior cheerleaders, girls basketball players, and boys basketball players will be recognized after the girls varsity game.
You can watch the Valley View and Greene County Tech varsity games, as well as Senior Night festivities, for free on the MPAN YouTube channel.

5A EAST RESULTS FROM 2/20
Batesville 60, Marion 47
Greene Co. Tech 54, Valley View 43
Nettleton 67, W. Memphis 29
Paragould 46, Searcy 38

5A EAST STANDINGS ON 2/23
SCHOOL CONF. RECORD
Greene Co. Tech 12-0
Valley View 9-3
Nettleton 9-3
Batesville 7-5
Marion 6-6
Paragould 4-8
Searcy 1-11
W. Memphis 0-12
Top four teams make state tournament in Farmington.

5A EAST GAMES ON 2/24
Marion at Valley View
Greene Co. Tech at Batesville
Nettleton at Paragould
Searcy at W. Memphis