Jonas Jerebko is unlikely to return from his Achilles tendon injury this season.

“This kid – I've been in the business for 20 years – I've never seen a kid work so hard to try to get back,” Kuester said. “It's killing him. It's killing him. This young man is working extremely hard to put himself in a position to play."

Jerebko has been working with strength and conditioning coach Arnie Kander throughout the season after tearing his Achilles tendon Oct. 5 in the preseason opener.

“It's good to have people notice it because I'm in there when nobody's there, when nobody sees me work out,” Jerebko said. “It just feels good that they see it. I'm glad that they notice.

“I don't want anybody to outwork me or for Arnie to say, 'He didn't work hard enough -- that's why he didn't play this year.' I'm just going at it every day until he says stop.”