UConn Women Come Through For Fasting Jana El-Alfy
This March's most vital assists from the University of Connecticut's women's basketball team may well come off the floor.
Fellow Huskies have come through for redshirt freshman Jana El-Alfy as she observes Ramadan, the Islamic month of fasting and reflection. El-Alfy and other Muslims fast from sunrise to sundown during Ramadan and this year's observance landed in March amidst the chaos of the NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament.
Maggie Vanoni of CT Insider documented El-Alfy's assistance and observance before the Huskies faced South Dakota State in the Round of 32 on Monday in Storrs (8 p.m. ET, ESPN). The help has started with roommate Paige Bueckers, who has taken on the task of preparing pre-dawn meals for El-Alfy to hold her over until nightfall.
"We know what she's going through is tough to do: to be able to do Ramadan, fast and play basketball at such a high level right now," Bueckers said, per Vanoni. "Anytime you can support somebody, especially when they're going through something, it's a lot better when you’re going through something with somebody."
Vanoni's report states that El-Alfy, a native of Egypt, has been regularly fasting at Ramadan since she was 11. While basketball practices back home were often staged after the fasting hours, she has come to appreciate UConn's midday sessions who prove both distracting and tiring as she observes.
"Once I’m on the court I really forget about everything," El-Alfy said, per Vanoni. "I'm very caught up with (basketball) because that's what I love to do and that’s where I want to be. I don't think I ever think about, ‘Oh, I didn’t eat today,' because I think I’ve gotten used to it when I'm on the court."
The united effort appears to be paying off: as the one of the first women off the Huskies' benc, El-Alfy is averaging 5.8 rebounds and 5.5 points in just over 16 minutes a game. She has six boards and two blocks in her March Madness debut on Saturday, which saw the Huskies take down Arkansas State by a 103-34 final in Storrs.
According to Vanoni, backup backcourt rep KK Arnold is set to take over the role of El-Alfy's "morning meal buddy" after Bueckers moves onto the WNBA next season. The Cairo native is grateful for the group assembled as is, which seems to be expertly balancing a championship chase with personal commitments.
"I feel like I'm blessed and grateful to be surrounded with this group. It's a really, really special group, and they’re always asking questions, and they’re always like, ‘Oh, how are you feeling?’ or ‘I can’t imagine doing that,'" El-Alfy said. "I think I wouldn't have done it or made it this far if it wasn't for my teammates."
Geoff Magliocchetti is on X @GeoffJMags
