You don't necessarily expect someone who is just 5'8" to offer a little of everything both in the paint and out on the perimeter, but that's exactly what star Troy junior Jenalyse Alarcon '21 does.

Playing a lot around the rim, Alarcon is averaging just under 19 points per game this season for the Flying Horses while also grabbing 11 rebounds a game. She has also shown the versatility to stretch out and be a force hitting from behind the arc as well as Alarcon is positioning herself as one of the more underrated prospects in the Capital Region.

There was a bit of an unknown with Alarcon coming into the season as she hurt her right ACL and missed all the AAU season with the NY Havoc. Volleyball did enable her to get off some rust in the fall as she said there was no way she was going out on the basketball court at the start of the season and giving anything less than 100%.

"I didn't have any nerves because I had volleyball in the fall but once I got out there with basketball I said there is no sitting back I have to push the pedal," Alarcon explained about hitting the hardwood coming back from her injury. "I wasn't worried about my knee at all and I really put it on the back burner knowing I had to go out there and be in beast mode for my team."

Alarcon has been the definition of beast mode this season as most nights she goes out as one of the smaller forward's in Suburban Council play, yet she is outworking nearly everyone she goes up against.

That's not shocking though because Alarcon has always been considered one of the hardest workers out there and playing the 4 and being able to be the versatile player, she is has made her one of the toughest to match up against in the Albany area.

Some in her spot would not love the challenge of going up against players sometimes 4-5 inches bigger than her, but Alarcon welcomes the challenge and enjoys being able to mix it up with players all different sizes depending on where she is on the floor.

"I can do other things and play outside when I'm needed or play inside when I am needed but it's just great to be able to work in the paint and have my team push the ball and getting it to me and be able to do what I can to help us win," Alarcon stated.

Her goal was to hopefully see Troy finish above the .500 mark this season, and with the Flying Horses at 8-7 this point in the season, and competitive with the best of the best in the Suburban Council as well, the thoughts may be trending to a deeper postseason run than Alarcon even expected.

There are still a few weeks in the regular season, and with Alarcon doing a bit of everything you can start to see Division 1 schools start to inquire sooner than later as a number of Division 2 schools are starting to make contact for one of Section 2's best, with her hopes of a postseason run for Troy definitely not out of the question.

"Yeah we wanted to just try and push past .500 and go from there because you never know what can happen," Alarcon said.