2021-2022 High School Season
FORUM Tipoff Classic: Barr-Reeve-Central Noble Preview
Category: 2021-2022 High School Season Written by Trevor Andershock
(Photo of Connor Essegian via Trevor Andershock)
Central Noble and Barr-Reeve face off in the third game of the 2021 FORUM Tipoff Classic. The two small schools are contenders in their respective classes and feature college prospects like Connor Essegian (Wisconsin) and Hagen Knepp.
Essegian dominated each of Central Noble’s first three games. He had 27 points in a recent win over Angola. Essegian is a tremendous shooter, but he also defends multiple positions for Central Noble and rebounds at a high level. When he gets a rebound or steal, Essegian pushes the ball himself with great success. He is a match-up nightmare at this level.
Canterbury gave Central Noble a game for a half before the talent of Essegian took away any hope from the Cavs. Central Noble jumped on Hamilton and Angola from the tip and gave them no chance in the last two outings. Barr-Reeve will give Central Noble its first tough test of the season.
Central Noble will need a strong game from senior Ryan Schroeder. He is a versatile, veteran guard that can handle the ball and knock down outside shots. Fellow senior Logan Gard will have a size advantage inside, and he is an excellent vertical athlete that will finish above the rim. Although Essegian is the star, Schroeder and Gard need to produce for Central Noble against the tough Barr-Reeve squad.
Jackson Andrews, Conner Lemmon, and Aidan Dreibelbis are solid players for Central Noble and fill their roles well.
Barr-Reeve graduated Curt Hopf (Bellarmine) and Brycen Graber (Grace College), but Knepp is still there for Josh Thompson. He averages 19.5 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 2.5 steals per game while battling an injury. Knepp is a versatile wing that defends at a high level. It will be fun to see the one-on-one battle between Essegian and Knepp when they cross paths.
Kayden Graber is picking up the slack with Brycen gone. Kayden is averaging 11.3 points and 7.3 assists per game. Brycen graduated with the state’s all-time assist lead. Cam Madison, Braydon Knepp, and Aaron Wagler round out the starting lineup for Barr-Reeve.
Barr-Reeve is a ridiculous 84-7 in Knepp’s career. Central Noble is 64-15 with Essegian on the team. These teams are not used to losing, so each side will be scrapping for a victory.
Schedule for December 11, 2021 at Southport High School
12:30 pm Heritage Christian vs. Southport
2:00 pm Bloomington North vs. Franklin Central
3:30 pm Central Noble vs. Barr-Reeve
5:00 pm Zionsville vs. Indianapolis Attucks
6:45 pm Covington Catholic (Ky.) vs. Indianapolis Cathedral
8:30 pm Homestead vs. Westfield
$15 all-day admission
For tickets, go to https://gofan.co/app/events/479555?schoolId=IN2200
All media must be approved ahead of the event. Send requests to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.