Jana El Alfy to UConn

[Forego]

Her English is remarkably good.

Yes, but can she recite Socrates in Ancient Greek?

 

[Bone Dog]

Her dad is TALL

 

[marti3td]

If we add Juste Joctye we'll be unbeatable......Keep your eyes peeled

Are we after her?

 

[connboy77]

Without question this is one of the best recruiting classes UCONN has ever had!

 

[Scud49]

Loved her reaction to a Q about her favorite subject: "Ah, math.......not really" Then a laugh

 

[visitingcock]

Yes and she also “walks like an Egyptian” so now that song will be in my head for awhile.

 

[TeamFirst!]

Watched the Madagascar game. Jana is athletic and she is well coached. She made 2 smooth 3 pointers and she passed well. She keeps it simple when possible and sets up just in front of the basket and has decent moves. Several times she was triple teamed. My sense is she is a solid team mate who sincerely roots for others. I like her handle for a big but she's not a guard. She has the makings of a power forward with some scoring skill. She runs the floor well but is going to need some breaks in PT. She can play post but will be scored on in top level competition. Not a big jumper. A Larry Bird type big. She's still very young though and has potential. She has one of the best handles I've seen for a post player. Ideally she's a power forward, certainly in the pros. Very likeable. Competitive. Sometimes almost goal hung as she likes to run. Someone should offer her team mate Salmon a division 1 scholarship also as she can play. Decent post player. They were Africa's twin towers.

I gotta say it was refreshing to see the kids from Madagascar signing in the stands during the game. There was a sense of community you don't often see in America. African culture is very special in so many ways. Everyone happy and positive.

 

[RockyMTblue2]

Just watched her interview. Incredibly poised young lady. She'll slip right in to the Werth Center Rat Pack.

 

[uconnever]

In terms of immediate impact, El Alfy may be the most important of the 2023 recruits. KK, Ashlyn and Q are players that are more needed down the road, but can still provide help their first year. The C candidates for next year were Ice and Amari. One we expect to be good in Ice, but she will be recovering from injury, and Amari has shown nothing thus far, making her a big question mark even as a limited minutes backup C.

It would be a shame if in Paige and Azzi's first and maybe last year playing healthy together, one position was a weak link in their championship pursuit. It wasn't a huge one, but having to rely on Amari for starter or backup minutes next year until she proves something, could have been the most unsettling factor heading into next year.

Now we add another player to the mix, that even as a raw freshmen, can probably raise the floor and the ceiling for that position. If Amari doesn't make a major move upward, she won't have to play at all. Without El Alfy it is possible Geno would have had to use her far more than he wanted to.

Yes the lack of experience is still a factor, and Ice and Jana should be much better players later in their careers, but at least now we can throw two talented players at the position and not have to rely on a big question mark.

Exactly! We also will have Edwards and Patterson and maybe Aubrey. That should be enough to hold it down on the post because our guards and wing spots will be crazy DEEP! I’m not sure of everyone else roster next year but if we don’t win it all next year, then we may never win it again. Barring injuries of course.

 

[itsasport]

It might be fun to play the national anthem of one of the foreign players at home games.

Great for international relations.

Also, foreign players could think that it would be cool for that to happen for them.

 

[Mdoggie]

@marti3td

 

[StarMan]

Thanks for choosing UConn, Jana!

 

[Forego]

Does this mean there’s a chance Missy could rank the 2023-4 team as high as 18th next year?

 

[Bald Husky]

José is probably really pi~~ed at Geno by now.

What about Jeff?

 

[VA Huskie]

Does anyone know about where she might be ranked if the rating services included overseas players? Top 10, top 50, etc?

 

[Conndog]

Great get for UConn, she doesn't shy away from the basket. It looks to me like her shooting technique from outside is a push from the shoulder, kind of like a shot put, but then again I haven't see a whole lot of video. What a recruiting class this has been!

 

[jaydee602]

I expect Jana to succeed and quickly find her comfort zone. UCONN players not only accept foreign players, but they embrace them from Day One. There is ony a short acclimation period before a new foreign recruit is "one of the gals".

 

[HopJim]

Exactly! We also will have Edwards and Patterson and maybe Aubrey. That should be enough to hold it down on the post because our guards and wing spots will be crazy DEEP! I’m not sure of everyone else roster next year but if we don’t win it all next year, then we may never win it again. Barring injuries of course.

The ESPN Top 25 Women's Basketball Recruiting Classes article, which ranked UConn as #3, referred to El-Alfy as a "finesse forward." Can anyone who has seen her play comment on her ability to "hold down the post?" Stewie was somewhat of a finesse player but with some encouragement from Geno, did great in the post. Hoping El'Alfy is a "Stewie!"

 

[Bone Dog]

I suggested above that she’s quite a bit like Stewie. Not quite as mobile, but still very mobile, not quite the perimeter shooter, but has good range, not quite the wingspan but can block shots. She has good handles, though I wouldn’t want her regularly bringing the ball up the floor. I can imagine using her to break presses occasionally. I think she may be a bit stronger than Stewie was a freshman.

 

[Bone Dog]

Does anyone know about where she might be ranked if the rating services included overseas players? Top 10, top 50, etc?

I think you have to rank her ahead of ADR. Maybe roughly where folks thought Cunningham belonged, if not higher.

 

[oldhusky]

I suggested above that she’s quite a bit like Stewie. Not quite as mobile, but still very mobile, not quite the perimeter shooter, but has good range, not quite the wingspan but can block shots. She has good handles, though I wouldn’t want her regularly bringing the ball up the floor. I can imagine using her to break presses occasionally. I think she may be a bit stronger than Stewie was a freshman.

Think this is a pretty accurate assessment. She may be more 4 than 5, but for us I think the need is greater at the 5 and she has enough bulk and strength to bang with most C's and will be far more mobile.

 

[TeamFirst!]

I think she's a top 5 talent. She needs work with her post skills but she's very athletic and she's only going to get better. Solid pick up.

 

[oldude]

The ESPN Top 25 Women's Basketball Recruiting Classes article, which ranked UConn as #3, referred to El-Alfy as a "finesse forward." Can anyone who has seen her play comment on her ability to "hold down the post?" Stewie was somewhat of a finesse player but with some encouragement from Geno, did great in the post. Hoping El'Alfy is a "Stewie!"

While she has ball handling skills, I would not refer to El-Alfy as a finesse forward. She is a big strong girl who has the ability to post up on offense and defend the post on defense.

 

[visitingcock]

Does anyone know about where she might be ranked if the rating services included overseas players? Top 10, top 50, etc?

She’s good enough to put pressure on Dawn to find a Top Tennish Big for ‘24.

 

[VA Huskie]

I think you have to rank her ahead of ADR. Maybe roughly where folks thought Cunningham belonged, if not higher.

Thanks. So certainly top 10, maybe even top 5. I’ll take either!