Brooks comes off bench to spark Grizzlies in win over Pirates

Sophomore Dushawn Brooks could be the Butler Grizzlies' "Mr. Clean" this season as he hit the boards for rebounds and the floor several times going after loose balls.
Brooks came off the bench to score 13 points and five rebounds after intermission help spark a second half surge as the Grizzlies beat Independence 84-69 in the second game of a Jayhawk interdivisional matchup at the Power Plant.
"I love doing the dirty work and I've been doing that since high school," Brooks said. "That's my job and I try to get it done."
Even to the point of detriment to his body. Brooks — who finished the game with 17 points (8-of-12 shooting), eight rebounds and three steals — tweaked his ankle and left the game having to hobble to the bench with cramps after hitting the floor hard trying to stop a lay-up.
Brooks said he doesn't mind coming off the bench at the start of games and says it helps bring his game to another level.
"I love coming off the bench," Brooks said. "I feed off the energy of the starts and I bring energy off the bench."
The Grizzlies (7-1) overcame a slow start as they hit only one field goal during the first four minutes of the game to give the Pirates an 8-3 lead. A 10-2 run midway through the first half helped give Butler the lead and a six-point run to end the stanza pushed the Grizzlies ahead 36-29 at intermission.
"Independence did a great job early in taking us out of what we wanted to do," said Butler coach Mike Bargen. "As the half progressed, we got our motors started (and) we dug out of a deficit to get it back to even, then we got a little a little bit of a run where we got some turnovers and threes."
The Pirates (4-3) opened up the second half with a 10-2 run to take the lead before Butler answered with an 11-point run to push the lead up to 49-39 with 12:39 left in regulation. Independence never got closer the deficit closer than seven points after the run.
Four other Grizzlies scored in double figures along with Brooks. Anthony Cousin scored 16 points (and also had four assists), Josh Gibbs 13 (and six rebounds), Kyle Sloan 11 (3-of-6 from three-point range) and Troy Pierce 10 (with six rebounds as well).
The Grizzlies as a team was 29-of-55 from the field (52.7 percent), outrebounded the Pirates 42-22 in the win, and had 20 assists.
"We shared the ball and I was proud of a lot of guys stepping up and knocking down shots," Bargen said.
Anthony Downing led Independence with 25 points and five assists, while Karron McKenzie added 14 and Tokie Aromona 12 points and six boards in the loss.
The Grizzlies return to action Saturday at the Power Plant when they face Neosho County in another Jayhawk interdivision contest. Tipoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.