"I have all the right tools in my toolbox", Jada Gyamfi looking to contribute in year three

You likely aren’t going to find another player in the entire country that has brought the energy on the bench every single night like Jada Gyamfi has for her teammates for the past two years. As a native Iowan, being apart of an Iowa team that advanced to back-to-back national title games was exciting, but entering her junior season, Jada is looking to move from a supporting role to a contributing role.

“Jada and I had a lot of workouts in the spring and a lot of them, it was her asking and I thought that was great,” said assistant coach Raina Harmon. “I told her, you’ve been the greatest towel waver for the team that just left, but now it’s time to let somebody wave that towel for you.”

A graduate of Johnston High School in Des Moines, Jada accumulated 633 points (13.8 ppg), 336 (7.3 rpg) and 49 blocks (1.1 bpg) over 46 career games for the Dragons. She helped her team to back-to-back state championship game appearances, including a 5A State Championship as a senior. Gyamfi was four-star, #76 overall prospect in the ’22 recruiting class, but through two seasons, Gyamfi has accumulated just 108 minutes over 28 games (3.9 mins per game). She has spent the offseason in the gym working with the hope that it will lead meaningful floor minutes this season.

“I think a lot of my development has come with getting stronger and a lot more confident,” said Gyamfi. “I think I have all the right tools in my toolbox, but just being able to utilize them in the best way has been really important.”

The Hawkeyes mostly worked on different drills during Thursday’s practice that was open to the media, but Jada knocked down a couple of contested three-pointers going up against the gray squad. It’s a shot that she has really worked on and has become very confident in.

“That’s my favorite part of my game. Coach Raina can vouch for me,” said Jada. “If I couldjust catch and shoot threes all game I would. That’s something I’ve always been really confident in, but I’ve definitely worked on making and finishing a lot more at the rim as well.”

“She’s been in the gym. Her three is really looking consistent,” said Raina Harmon. “(I’ve been) challenging her to get in (the paint), mix it up, make sure she can finish inside and maybe get a few more rebounds. I think she’s gonna be battling to be a four producer.”

Leadership is another area that Jada feels like she can step up and contribute in this season. Syd Affolter has notably stepped in and become one of the teams’ vocal leaders with veterans like Kate Martin, Gabbie Marshall and Caitlin Clark gone, but it takes more than one to do the job. Jada feels like she can be one of the upperclassmen that can fill the open leadership void.

“I think the biggest change that I’m really focused on and worried about is my leadership role. Obviously, we lost some really important seniors last year. Kate Martin, a great leader, Gabbie, a great leader, Caitlin and Sydney has stepped up and is doing a great job of taking over that, but she can’t do it alone,” said Gyamfi. “So I’m definitely trying to support her through that and use some of the things that I learned from those seniors that I got really close with and keep the culture going.”

As for team expectations for the upcoming season, Jada says that nothing changes. Over the last five years, the Hawkeyes have won 132, accumulated a 69-10 home record, won three Big Ten Tournament titles and made two Final Four’s. Despite the losses from last year’s squad, the expectations for the program remain unchanged.

“Every year we talk about our goals with the conference, defend Carver, never lose at home, Big Ten Tournament champions, regular season champions and Final Four. Those are our goals every single year. (They don’t change) just because of what we lost from last year, with everything that we gained this year, our goals stay the exact same.”