So, what do we make of Jana El Alfy

I still don’t think she will play. I just think it is something you allow her to do to feel more connected to the team.

And she was very much connected to the team.

I was watching pretty closely the huddles during the times out. Geno was teaching very intensively in each of them. Not a moment wasted. Jana was very engaged, probably more than any of the walking wounded, except Paige, who was amazingly focused. Ice seemed to drift occasionally, but that's understandable for someone who's never played a minute of UConn ball and doesn't really "feel it" yet.

The only thing she can't do is enter a game. That appears clear to me. It's also clear that she isn't going to enter a game. UConn is limiting practice time and the last thing they need right now is having to spend half of the limited practice time explaining everything to El Alfy in some vain hope that she can step into the rotation this season. Bettencourt has had 5 months with the team and gets almost no game play.

What I would like is a report on her individual workouts with the coaches. And I don't expect one any time soon.

I have seen nothing anywhere that says she CAN'T play this season. Knowing what we've seen of Ayanna, Amari, and Ines, why isn't it possible that Jana is already a better BB player than any of them ? Amari looks lost most of the time, Ayanna has not shown me what " kind of player she is . Ayanna does not shoot well, is slower than I expected her to be and is an undersize post. Ines, while having energy, and seems to be able to have decent handle , but cannot throw the ball into the ocean. Maybe Jana wants to play right now , but none of us knows the answers to many of the questions surrounding this team right, now. The fear on this board seems to be that she will be wasting half season of eligibility. As if anyone knows where any of these players are going to be in the future. Then ,there are people already complaining about how poor Geno is going to cope with next years's full roster. So, I guess the same person that is thought of as the " greatest coach ", and has 11 NC's isn't capable of figuring out how to handle too many good players. GEEZ ! And yes Geno, you have to punch the other team in the mouth first sometimes.

She may be okay with that.  But I hope she doesn't play this year.  Not that we couldn't use an extra body, especially if she can hit from outside.  Still, let this year play out with what we have.  Next year, we will see if we can get everyone (except Dorka and Lou) able to play and then build a potentially dominating team.  

She would lose only the semester she played this year, which would be 1 semester. I'm not saying she should, just saying she could. Just speculation, since we have no idea what she actually would like.

"It's not fear.

It's Fact. Geno himself has said, she is not playing this year. Full Stop"

What she said (RadyLady).

     You are right about there being no impediment to her playing right now. We expected great things for Amari, based on what she did before UConn. Patterson too. It doesn't matter what El Alfy did, learning the UConn system is HARD. Especially for a post player. That's why most freshmen look lost.   

The NCAA does not break seasons down into semesters. She gets 5 calendar years to play 4 seasons of eligibility. Very simple. If she participates in even 1 game, she has used 1 year of eligibility. You can be sure that Auriemma discussed this fully with her father (the coach of the Egyptian mens national team) and her before she enrolled at UConn and the decision on whether she would play was reached then. She will not play this season as Auriemma has stated.

www.journalinquirer.com/sports/college/uconn_womens_basketball/uconn-women-notebook-el-alfy-gets-warm-uconn-welcome/article_fafa3f8a-9bbf-11ed-b1d7-e7ab232b2bb6.html

Agree. Geno said she will not be playing this season and as you said she won't be playing. Too soon, not acclimated to the team and lacking practice in the Uconn playing system.