Jana the Secret Weapon?

[Alydar]

That transition took a while. Luckily, Jana isn't a guard and isn't known for aggressive defensive attempts like Nika.

I'm thinking more of freshman Dolson, who picked up a lot of reach-in fouls and over-the-back fouls, often in the 1st 5 minutes of a game.
It's easier to tone down excessive aggression than trying to inject aggression into a passive player.

 

[Bone Dog]

I'm thinking more of freshman Dolson, who picked up a lot of reach-in fouls and over-the-back fouls, often in the 1st 5 minutes of a game.
It's easier to tone down excessive aggression than trying to inject aggression into a passive player.

I think a lot of Dolson's early fouls were from not moving her feet quickly enough. This left her trying to make up for having been beaten to a spot with reach-ins and reach-overs.

 

[DEpup]

Dolson's game immediately changed when she transformed her body. She was then able to get to her spot and properly defend.

 

[The CDR-Ret]

Dolson's game immediately changed when she transformed her body. She was then able to get to her spot and properly defend.

Playing 3x3 in the last FIBA worlds was a showcase for Dolson's completed transformation.

 

[jdote33]

So do you think she plays the 5. Can she play with Ice. Does she provide a spark off the bench.

It's funny. I think with all the injuries the past 3 years have been some of Geno and staff's toughest coaching jobs. However I kinda think this year, if healthy, is a super tough coaching job for him. Cuz I do think the combinations will matter. Like the field does have close or comparable talent, so it truly may be about playing the right players or pushing the right buttons.

 

[BlueSkyGLW]

Had a hard time posting this, try again:

Why phone call from UConn great Breanna Stewart 'meant everything' to injured Husky Jana El Alfy

She has not played a game since arriving on campus 16 months ago, but Jana El Alfy says she will do whatever she can to help UConn women's basketball.

www.nhregister.com

 

[cancontent]

Came across this but wasn't sure it needed it's own thread. Great to see how she's giving back in Egypt.

 

[Huskee11]

Came across this but wasn't sure it needed it's own thread. Great to see how she's giving back in Egypt.

She's the tall one

 

[cgshuskie]

Jana, at 6'5" , move more like a men's NBA player; than a women's big. I expect that she will bring a new dimension of mobility and agility to the women's game. I think that Jana is a traillblazer. If she starts duncking, WATCH OUT!!! The future.....

 

[Blond D.]

I think Jana might play more like Brianna Stewart than Dolsen.

 

[RockyMTblue2]

Came across this but wasn't sure it needed it's own thread. Great to see how she's giving back in Egypt.

I love it. No telling where efforts like this lead over time. I'm betting the kids went home and started following our Huskies. Next Jana in her uniform posters will start proliferating.

 

[Bone Dog]

I think Jana might play more like Brianna Stewart than Dolsen.

I guess time brings much to light. Last year I said Jana has a similar skill set to Stewie and folks jumped all over me for it, mostly pretending I’d claimed Jana was already as good as Stewie. But now that you’ve noticed it too, maybe folks can hold their heads up high and see what’s right in front of their eyes. Now it’s up to Geno to build on the talent she brings.

 

[ed4ourgirls]

All this talk about Jana puts me in mind of this time last year when folks were similarly
enthusiastic about Ice Brady even though she hadn't yet played a minute of college ball.

Then the season began, and Ice was manifestly not ready for prime time. As the season
progressed Ice improved, and by tournament time she had become a useful member of
the team.

I will be delighted if Jana, who has not played a minute of college ball, begins the season
hotter than a pistol, but I won't be overly disappointed if it takes a while for her to get going.

 

[Blond D.]

All this talk about Jana puts me in mind of this time last year when folks were similarly
enthusiastic about Ice Brady even though she hadn't yet played a minute of college ball.

Then the season began, and Ice was manifestly not ready for prime time. As the season
progressed Ice improved, and by tournament time she had become a useful member of
the team.

I will be delighted if Jana, who has not played a minute of college ball, begins the season
hotter than a pistol, but I won't be overly disappointed if it takes a while for her to get going.

Puts me in the mind of how everyone is going on and on about Sarah Strong too. At least Jana has practiced a lot against the other Huskies.
Now Sarah might become a great college player, I hope and pray she will, but I need to see her against college competition before I anoint her as a starter.
Geno has seen a lot more of Jana than he has Sarah on the practice court and in international play so he has a better feel on how good Jana will be against college girls.

 

[jdote33]

Amazing vid. Takeaways: Jana and Ice r both cold. Lol at go under the screen when defending KK. As much as I can debate about which player is better etc, who should start, they really do battle in practice so they probably know what's what. Seems like a connected team.

 

[Bone Dog]

Amazing vid. Takeaways: Jana and Ice r both cold. Lol at go under the screen when defending KK. As much as I can debate about which player is better etc, who should start, they really do battle in practice so they probably know what's what. Seems like a connected team.

It’s a great video. Sweet and quite funny. Toward the beginning the glimpse you get of Jana’s exercise routine suggests she’s fully recovered from her injury.

 

[JRRRJ]

Came across this but wasn't sure it needed it's own thread. Great to see how she's giving back in Egypt.

Love the pom-poms on the bottom of the net ;^)

 

[Bone Dog]

I watched a bunch of Jana's HS games from Cairo (which is not easy to do) and all of her FIBA games and the main takeaway I got from that is Jana playing with skilled perimeter players is going to be awesome. She got as tough as she is because other teams constantly packed the paint against her. She's used to being triple-teamed. That sure aint gonna happen with 3 or more of Paige Azzi Sarah Ash Allie KK Kaitlyn and Q on the floor with her. Playing with the greatest backcourt in D1 is going to unleash Jana.

 

[maple]

Last year when Jana was injured I (foolishly) believed that it would not impact the team that much. But now I definitely am a believer that she is going to be just what UConn needs to finally clinch #12.

 

[tchalla1]

Meeting the standard of Aaliyah Edwards once you arrive to campus would be difficult for any upcoming forward tbh. She’s the solid rock of the team and she’s playing out of position all year too.

I assume Jana has improved greatly since then based on other Geno articles/interviews earlier this year

I think Jana will become better than Edwards--She's Edwards equal offensively, but better defensively and rebounding... She's bigger, longer and stronger...

 

[LwrcasefaN]

I think Jana will become better than Edwards--She's Edwards equal offensively, but better defensively and rebounding... She's bigger, longer and stronger...

I like her, but in fairness to Edwards...Jana will not have to play Edwards minutes with the pieces surrounding her. IMO, Edwards was a 4 that sacrificed her development because we needed a 5. I don't even think Edwards reached her full potential...and she was still very good and for at least 2 if not 3 seasons the consistent piece through injuries. I'll be looking early on to see where Jana plays the most ( 4 or 5), how quickly she adjusts to the college pace and adjust to the refs. She's aggressive and sometimes those players need time to adjust. OR...the team needs game time to adjust to that player. Having said that, she's going to be a problem.

 

[Steelerone]

As soon as she plays her first game against a ranked team I'll start to form an opinion as to what type of player she is and how good she will be. Until then she's a player who has not played one minute against any type of college competition.

 

[Alydar]

Puts me in the mind of how everyone is going on and on about Sarah Strong too. At least Jana has practiced a lot against the other Huskies.
Now Sarah might become a great college player, I hope and pray she will, but I need to see her against college competition before I anoint her as a starter.
Geno has seen a lot more of Jana than he has Sarah on the practice court and in international play so he has a better feel on how good Jana will be against college girls.

You have a rational view. Some fans were equally rational when Bueckers hadn't played a minute with more than a few saying they needed to see her play.
While necessity led to 2 freshmen starting last year they showed me that freshmen can be significant contributors.

 

[HopJim]

Most true basketball fans wait to see how a new player, who is coming back from a major injury, can contribute. I personally feel Jana will be one of the top bigs in the US but will need some time to get in rhythm. Not sure I buy all these prognostications that have her dominating out of the box. All I care about is that she gains confidence and uses it in the NCAA playoffs.

 

[Majic Hands]

I think Jana will become better than Edwards--She's Edwards equal offensively, but better defensively and rebounding... She's bigger, longer and stronger...

I personally wouldn’t be disparaging comparing Jana against Aaliyah. Aaliyah was a 4 playing as a 5 against the toughest schedule GA could get.

As much as I’m excited about Jana actually checking into a game. She has never checked in at UConn. Hopefully Jana can perform at a high level as a 5 for UConn. Perhaps, even pulling the big girls out because she’s a threat out to the 3? Don’t know. Jana has never checked into a game.

IMO Aaliyah only had one off year and that was as a sophomore.

I actually have felt bad for her. Spending 4 years playing out of position. Going pro playing in her natural position and on day one is 4 years behind. But, I’m confident that if she wants to climb a mountain… She will.