Northeast Indiana’s top returning point guards set the tone again

1. Jayvon Irby and Terrance Jordan, South Side

This is the group that most clearly changes a team’s ceiling. Irby and Jordan were the rare lead-guard pairing that both controlled the game and protected it, with Irby averaging 4.6 assists per game and a 3.89 assist-to-turnover ratio, while Jordan posted 4.4 assists and a 3.4 ratio. That kind of shared command helped fuel South Side’s SAC championship run, and it is the clearest sign that the Archers can keep leaning on tempo, decision-making and ball security when the pressure rises.

What makes the duo so valuable is that they solve problems before they show up. South Side does not have to ask one guard to carry everything, because both can initiate offense, keep possessions organized and prevent live-ball mistakes that turn into easy points the other way. If the Archers take another step next season, it will start with these two setting the pace, getting teammates into the right spots and making sure the game stays on South Side’s terms.

2. Max Goheen, North Side

Goheen is not the loudest name in the group, but he may be the safest bet to keep a team steady possession after possession. He averaged 5.1 assists per game and finished with a 2.95 assist-to-turnover ratio, a combination that says he handled real responsibility without giving the ball away too often. For a North Side team expected to stay competitive, that kind of control at the point is a major reason the offense can function with some consistency.

His value shows up in the details that usually decide close games. Goheen’s game is built on pacing the floor, making the simple read when it is there and keeping the ball moving so the Legends do not drift into empty possessions. That is often what separates a promising roster from one that can actually survive a long season, and Goheen gives North Side a guard who can organize the group from the first trip down the floor.

3. Zen Szaferski, Bishop Luers

Szaferski brings a different kind of upside because he is not only a distributor, but also a player who is expected to take on more scoring responsibility. He averaged just over five assists per game and is moving into his junior year with a chance to become one of Bishop Luers’ primary offensive options, which makes him one of the most intriguing guards in the area. The Knights are getting a point guard who can create for others now and potentially expand the load as the season develops.

The physical description matters here too. Szaferski is viewed as quick, scrappy and relentless on both ends, traits that translate well when the games get tighter and every possession becomes more valuable. If his scoring grows the way the role suggests it can, he could become the guard whose profile rises the fastest, not just because he can run an offense, but because he can start to define one.