MARION -- Marion built a 13-point third-quarter lead, then held off Cabot for a 66-61 victory in a 7A/6A-East game.
Marion (11-9 overall, 6-3 7A/6A-East) trailed 27-25 at the outset of the third quarter before it outscored Cabot 19-6 to take a 44-31 lead with 1:21 to play in the third quarter.
Cabot (14-8 overall, 5-4 7A/6A-East) forced eight Marion turnovers and scored baskets off four of them in the fourth quarter, twice cutting Marion's lead to five points, but the Panthers could get no closer.
Marion, which outrebounded Cabot 28-18 but committed 18 turnovers, led 44-33 entering the fourth quarter.
Cabot was led by Garrett Rowe's 14 points, 13 from Bobby Joe Duncan and 10 from Hunter Southerland.
Marion's Patriots got 22 points from A.J. Latham, 21 from Shaun Doss and 10 from Marlon Warren. Doss added 10 rebounds for a double-double.
"We talked about at halftime that games are won or lost in the third quarter," Marion Coach Irving Clay said. "We were able to get out and run. They missed some shots and we were running off of that."
Clay said Marion's turnovers helped Cabot get back in the game in the fourth quarter.
"It hurts when you turn it over in the backcourt, because they're already shooting a layup," Clay said.
Sports on 02/10/2016