(Connor Essegian pictured at the FORUM Tipoff Classic)

 

TOPEKA--- Central Noble got a big fourth quarter from Wisconsin signee Connor Essegian to pull away from Eastside in the Sectional 35 title game Saturday night at Westview. The 6'4 Essegian scored 13 of his game-high 24 in the fourth quarter after battling foul trouble for much of the second and third periods.

 

Thanks to six first-quarter points, Connor Essegian led his Cougars out to an early lead. Early on, the main story was the defense of Central Noble, who limited Eastside to just five points in the opening eight minutes. The Cougars would lead 11-5 after the first eight minutes, paying special attention to senior guard Owen Willard.

 

That lead would extend to double figures at 18-8, but Essegian would pick up his second foul at the 5:31 mark of the half and be forced to the bench. But, again, his teammates would pick up the slack, holding the advantage near that mark.

 

Gabe Trevino, who Central Noble chose to lay off of to close driving lanes, made that defensive strategy pay with a pair of three-pointers in the period, including one with 20 seconds left to cut their margin to six. But on the ensuing possession, Ryan Schroeder would come off a cut to the top of the key and fire a three-pointer that found the bottom of the net as the buzzer sounded, giving the Cougars a nine-point lead entering the locker room.

 

The story of the first half was the rebounding battle, as Central Noble gathered six caroms off of their misses and limited Eastside to one shot on several possessions.

 

The third quarter was a replay of the second, as Essegian picked up his third foul midway through the period and again went to the bench. Nevertheless, the Cougar lead would grow to 11 points before senior forward Logan Fry o Eastside went on a personal 6-0 run. The 6'3 southpaw nailed a three from the left wing, then fired one from the right corner as he was fouled, and calmly sank all three free throws to close the Central Noble lead to just five points.

 

An Eastside press would rattle Central Noble, forcing consecutive turnovers, but the Blazers could not take advantage, and they trailed by five entering the fourth.

 

Essegian would come out in the final stanza hot, scoring the first seven for the Cougars and taking control against the Blazer pressure. The Blazers would hit eight three-pointers in the game, accounting for two-thirds of their point total, but Central Noble would limit the openings from deep and force Eastside into mistakes off the dribble.

 

Essegian and Ryan Schroeder quickly dashed any hope of an Eastside rally with free throws in the final two minutes, and Central Noble would claim the Sectional 35 crown.

 

Essegian finished with 24 points on just ten field goal attempts, and Trine commit Ryan Schroeder would join him in double figures with 11. Logan Gard patrolled the interior with 11 boards and three blocks.

 

Central Noble would shoot 53% from the field, including a 5-9 showing from behind the arc, and convert 11-13 at the stripe. Meanwhile, the Cougar defense put the clamps on the Blazer offense, allowing Eastside to hit just 29% of their field-goal tries, including a 3-16 mark from two-point territory.

 

The Cougar would also own a 25-11 advantage on the glass, including 11 total and five offensive boards from senior post Logan Gard.

 

Central Noble advances to the North Judson regional next Saturday.

 

Central Noble  11  14   8  17  -  50

Eastside        5  11  12   8  -  36

 

 

Central Noble: Connor Essegian 24 points (8/10 FGs, 2/4 3Ps, 6/7 FTs), 6 rebs, 2 stls; Ryan Schroeder 11 points (4/6 FGs, 2/3 3Ps, 1/2 FTs), 3 rebs, 2 stls; Logan Gard 6 points (2/8 FGs, 2/2 FTs), 11 rebs, 3 blks; Conner Lemmon 5 points (1/3 FGs, 1/1 3Ps, 2/2 FTs), 3 asts; Jackson Andrews 4 points (2/5 FGs)

 

Eastside: Logan Fry 12 points (3/7 3Ps, 3/3 FTs); Gabe Trevino 10 points (4/13 FGs, 2/5 3Ps), 3 rebs, 2 asts; Owen Willard 9 points (3/8 FGs, 2/5 3Ps, 1/2 FTs), 2 rebs, 2 asts, 3 stls; Hugh Henderson 3 points (1/3 3Ps); Caeden Moughler 2 points (2/2 FTs)