Da Matchup Showcase Day 2 | Bentonville vs. Marion

There is a certain type of basketball you can feel before you even see it. The kind that comes from chemistry, trust, and years of playing side by side. That’s the aura surrounding the Marion Patriots, a group I’ve been watching since their SLE AAU days, and one I have believed for a long time has a shot to lift a trophy in Hot Springs this season.

Across from them stood the Bentonville Tigers, a team that finished 5th in the 6A West last season, but one that got a serious boost over the summer with the addition of DeMarion “Mar” Lee (Har-Ber transfer) alongside returning pieces Kyan Franklin, Lucas Worth, and LeShaun Gochett. This group might be young and still building, but I believe they have the talent to shake up the 6A West in a very real way.

Tonight, though, it was Marion’s night to make a statement.

First Half: Marion Sets the Tone

Halftime Score: Marion 38 – Bentonville 29

Marion stepped onto the court with a different level of force, one that looked like mission mode. Bentonville didn’t fold by any means; they stayed in striking distance and battled every possession. But the rhythm, the pace, and the control belonged to the Patriots.

The scoring wasn’t wild or frantic, just steady, mature basketball.

Second Half: Patriots Turn the Key… and Pull Away

The Tigers opened the third quarter ready to push, but Marion answered harder, faster, and cleaner. The Patriots exploded with a 26–11 run, using their size, speed, and shared IQ to blow the game wide open.

Going into the fourth, Marion held a 64–40 advantage and never looked back.

Chemistry is a weapon and Marion knows how to use it.

Randle was everywhere, rebounding, disrupting, finishing. A true anchor in a statement win. Mar Lee showed exactly why his presence in Bentonville matters this season: effort, toughness, and a strong double-double on Showcase stage.

Final Thoughts

Marion has been my favorite to win the 5A East since before the first whistle of the season, and this performance only strengthens that belief. Jalen Neal, Chandler Randle, Korbin Littlejohn, Dexter Higgins, Jackson Black, and Karlyal Hyland play with a connection that doesn’t come from a few practices, it comes from years.

This team is special.

Bentonville may have taken a tough one tonight, but make no mistake, there is enough talent there to create a real stir in the 6A West. Their time is coming.

But Game 4 belonged to the Patriots.And they made sure everybody in the building felt it.

KFletch 🖤