After the departure of its leading scorer last season, Xavier Silas, along with other key players, NIU men’s basketball’s backcourt will have an entirely different look to it this season.

The Huskies backcourt will be led this year by returning redshirt sophomore Antone Christian. Other returning players are sophomore Aksel Bolin, who can also play the forward, and junior Tony Nixon, who is sidelined with foot issues but hopes to have an impact when he returns.

NIU will have a very young backcourt as it will be made up three freshman. Zach Miller, Marquavese Ford and Stian Berg will receive minutes and play big roles right out of the gates this season, especially considering Nixon’s injury. Here’s a look at who’ll be handlng the ball often for the Huskies.

Point Guards: Last season, Christian primarily played at the shooting guard, but NIU head men’s basketball coach Mark Montgomery will need him to step up and play some big minutes at the point guard.

“He was more of a two guard last year,” Montgomery said. “And right away when we got here, we needed a point guard. So he’s going to play some at the point this year.”

Montgomery will also expect Miller to step up and play crucial minutes at point guard this season, due to the fact that he is a bona fide point guard.

“Miller brings the quality that he is a true point guard,” Montgomery said. “He is undersized, but he is very gritty. He is already on my ‘Mr. Nasty Team’ because he is out there doing everything he can to make his teammates better. He has a great feel for the game and plays with a lot of heart.”

Ford will also get some minutes at the point guard position, but he will mainly play at the shooting guard. Grade: B-

Shooting Guards: Assuming that Miller starts at point guard, Christian should get the nod at shooting guard.

Last season, Christian appeared in 25 games, starting five of them, and he averaged 6.2 points per game. Christian will have much more of an impact this season as well as an increased role.

“What I like about Antone is that he is a team guy,” Montgomery said. “He’s a leader; he’s a guy that brings it everyday on the court. He’s always checking on the younger guys and he definitely gets down and defends. We’re looking for big things from Antone this year.”

With Nixon out, NIU will need Bolin to step up and play a bigger role.

“He played in 22 games last year, but didn’t score a lot,” Montgomery said. “But what I like about Aksel is his length and size, and him just being more aggressive is going to make him a better player. He has a good feel for the game and he shoots 90 percent at the line, and that’s always a plus.”

Nixon’s absence also opens the door for Ford to get some minutes.

“He’s an all-state performer from Saginaw [High School],” Montgomery said. “He’s going to play the one and two. He’s a very athletic guard who can score in a variety of ways… He’s a very unselfish player and he will see significant minutes as a freshman.

Berg, who is a solid three-point shooter, will also be getting minutes at shooting guard. Grade: B