Jonesboro uses lock-down defense to run past conference rival Marion for Class 5A boys basketball state title
HOT SPRINGS - Jonesboro put the Arkansas Activities Association sportsmanship rule on every opponent throughout the course of the Class 5A state tournament and continued that run in a major way against 5A-East rival Marion taking down the Patriots 55-28 Thursday afternoon at Bank OZK Arena winning back-to-back state championships.
The clock may have continuously run from the 3:37 mark in the third quarter, but the game was Jonesboro’s from the opening tip, scoring 23 points in the first quarter to Marion’s 8. The Golden Hurricane (28-3) was dominant as they held the Patriots to under 10 points in each quarter.
“We have had some really good performances, but I thought today was a really good performance by a good basketball team that won [state] last year and had a lot returning,” Jonesboro head coach Wes Swift said. “We also had a guy who came back that is a heck of a player as well (Oklahoma State signee Quion Williams). This is a very mature basketball team that was locked in and ready to go.”
Williams, the state’s fourth overall prospect for the 2022 class per 247 Sports, is a Jonesboro native but moved late in the fall semester of his sophomore year to live with his uncle in Texas where he attended Mansfield Legacy.
He was a major boost to a team that already had a strong chance of repeating as state champions with his ability to see the floor and finish around the rim. He led all scorers with 17 points and finished as the tournament’s Most Valuable Player. Junior Deion Buford-Wesson added 15 points for the Golden Hurricane.
The first time these two archrivals played, Marion (19-6) did not have its full roster and things went similar to Thursday, though not quite as bad, and then in the second game it was a low-scoring contest that Jonesboro came out victorious in 37-30.
With a young roster this year and most players returning next season, Marion head coach David Clark focused more on the fact that his team had a great season making it to the championship game and that they have plenty to work towards.
“I thought our guys were prepared to play but sometimes the ball just does not drop your way,” Clark said. “We tried to stay in there and keep scratching at it but Jonesboro is a great team, Coach Swift is a great coach and he had his guys ready to go.”
The star cousin tandem of Jayden and Ryan Forrest were held to 12 combined points (six each) as the Patriots’ leading scorers with Jayden’s 100% free-throw shooting (6-for-6) being the only highlight for the Patriots offensively as they shot 10-for-34 from the field (29.4%) including missing all eight three-point attempts.
