Division 2: Brown, Karasinski lead Grand Rapids Catholic Central to championship
Apr. 11—EAST LANSING — Grand Rapids Catholic Central dominated the second half Saturday night at Breslin Center to defeat Battle Creek Pennfield 77-54 in the Division 2 boys basketball championship game.
GRCC — 20-0 and ranked No. 4 in The News Super 20 poll — used a 23-10 third-quarter to open a 54-41 lead after the teams battled to 13-13 first-quarter and 31-31 halftime deadlocks.
With GRCC standout Jack Karasinski on the bench after picking up his third foul early in the third quarter, Pennfield took a 34-33 lead on Luke Davis' 3-pointer. But that would be Pennfield's last lead as Kaden Brown made two free throws and Jorden Brooks followed with a 3-pointer to start a 30-9 run to open a 63-43 cushion.
Brown scored 10 of his game-high 25 points during the pivotal run and Karasinski nine of his 18 points.
Durral Brooks and Jorden Brooks each scored 10 points with Durral Brooks also grabbing 11 rebounds and dishing out five assists to help GRCC win the title after losing to Benton Harbor in the Class B championship in overtime in 2018.
GRCC held a 42-30 rebounding advantage while limiting Pennfield (21-3) — which received 17 points from Davis — to 38.6% shooting.
