Strong fourth quarter enough for Hurricane

MARION - In a game that could have been a preview of a state tournament game, it was all about the Jonesboro Hurricane in the second half Friday night in Patriot Arena.

Kahron Ross and his 21 points were more than enough to push Jonesboro past Marion 50-36.

“We get too caught up out there in what the other team is doing,” said Marion Coach Irving Clay. “Teams play certain ways. We’re at our best when we’re playing power basketball. Once we got away from that, that was all she wrote.”

In a game that was tight throughout the first half, Jonesboro was the first to get any separation when Ross made back-to-back three-point baskets late in the second quarter to put the Hurricane up 22-16.

The Patriots kept it close throughout the third quarter, going to the fourth down 36-32, but they could generate little offense in the quarter, scoring only four points and allowing Jonesboro to put up 14 to keep the Hurricane comfortably in front.

Marion (13-4 overall, 4-3 7A-6A East) lost its third game in four outings and second consecutive at home.

Jonesboro has navigated their first run of conference play at 6-1, losing only to North Little Rock.

Marion was led by Dequarius Brigham’s 10 points and 10 rebounds, but the rest of the Patriots were held in check with Cortez Whitaker chipping in with eight points of his own.

Jarma Perkins added 13 points for the Hurricane.

“They’re just a better team than us,” Clay said. “They play as a team better than us. They played harder than us. They did what they were supposed to do better than us. Give them credit.”

Sports, Pages 24 on 02/01/2014

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