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[QUOTE="JoePgh, post: 5170678, member: 1131"]
I just listened to the post-game press conference, and I see that Geno actually commented (without being asked) about Jana's strange way of handling the opening tipoff of each of the last (at least) three games, going back to Xavier.  In all three of these games, Jana has easily outjumped her opponent, but she always tips the ball forward, where there are no UConn teammates.  As a result, the opponents in each game have controlled the opening tip.

In his post-game comments, Geno said that "my Arabic isn't good enough" to communicate to Jana that he wants her to tip the ball sideways or backwards to where her teammates are positioned, so that they have some chance of grabbing the ball.  Instead, she is doing "a volleyball slam" to send the ball forward "over the net" -- never mind that that is where her opponents are lurking.

It is odd (and surprising) that Jana never encountered this simple concept previously.  I guess it shows that the language barrier (or the force of her established habits) overcomes the common-sense instinct to try to tip the ball to your teammates.  Hopefully this will change in the upcoming games.
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