JUDA — The Panthers are trying to turn the corner as a program, but the quest will involve plenty of challenges along the way. Juda is just 4-53 over the past three seasons and has just one winning campaign (2016-17) over the last nine.

“We want to be in the top half of the conference,” Juda coach Aaron Duecker said of the team’s goals for this winter. “We want to be over .500 as a team.”

This year’s roster returns a key piece in forward Aaron Makos, last year’s scoring leader (15.6 ppg) and a second-team all-conference selection. He’ll be flanked by Mason Kammerer (8.2 ppg), Ward Steinmann (5.1 ppg) and Lucas Powers (1.5 ppg). 

After that, it’s slim pickings.

“After the starters, we will have young guys that have a lot to prove, and are hungry to do so,” Duecker said.

Shooting, defense and experience of the returning letterwinners should be a strength for the team. 

This winter, the Six Rivers East is as wide open as the conference has seen in years, with no clear-cut favorite. However, Duecker believes Monticello and Barneveld will likely end the season battling for supremacy.

“That have earned that respect,” Duecker said.