Jana El Alfy stepped onto the court with a presence that couldn’t be ignored. Every time the Huskies needed a lifeline, there she was, plowing through defenders like they were hardly there. Missed shot? She was right there to clean it up, using her imposing 6-foot-5 frame to snatch rebounds out of thin air and turn second chances into points. Yet, despite this display of dominance, Coach Auriemma remains reserved, unwilling to heap exaggerated praise. So, what does this unstoppable Egyptian powerhouse have to do to make her coach take notice?

Well, she needs to bury a three-point shot. After watching the 19-year-old hit the court for six points and seven rebounds in 17 minutes of play, Geno Auriemma targeted El Alfy in the postgame conference for her three-point skills.

“I know Sarah (Strong) can shoot from the perimeter. Jana swears to me that she can. I don’t know. You know, maybe she should write it down. I could probably understand. I could probably read Arabic better than I can understand, or I can’t do either. So she keeps telling me she can make those three-pointers,” he mocked during the post-game conference.

It’s true, though—she had a questionable 0% shooting percentage for three-point shots in today’s game. And that’s why Auriemma thinks if she made a three-pointer, it will “be like a bigger miracle than the pyramids.” But the effort isn’t lacking for El Alfy, as she did attempt a three in today’s game.

She might not live up to this expectation yet, but El Alfy has been Geno’s ace. “Myself, the staff, the players, and everyone associated with our program have been truly, truly blessed that she’s come into our life… in 40 years, I’ve never coached anybody better at Connecticut in my life,” he shared via UConn BB Weekly.

Geno Auriemma wasn’t disappointed over the remark

Jana El Alfy joined the Huskies’ roster in January 2023. Despite her potential, she missed most of her freshman season due to an Achilles injury. She was desperate to get back on court as Auriemma had revealed previously and so when she took to the court, she found a way through. Alfy made a strong comeback in her debut game with a game-high 17 points, 11 rebounds, a block, a steal, and an assist in just 18 minutes of play during the 86-32 win against the Boston University.

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Is Coach Auriemma too harsh on Jana El Alfy, or does she need to prove her range?

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“That was a great start for her… Jana’s like a bull in a china shop… She’s her own worst enemy. It’s like she wants to make up for a year and a half of not playing on every possession,” he added. Even in her unofficial debut, she grabbed nine rebounds. But she wasn’t limited there; she also had four fouls and two turnovers in just 12 minutes of play.

In today’s game, she had an assist, a steal, and two turnovers. But her three-pointers remain a concern after going 0-1 in the previous game too. Heading against North Carolina next, can Jana El Alfy be able to make the “miracle like the pyramids” happen? Stay tuned to find out!