The summer of NCAA basketball saw many exciting new talents proving their worth in the women’s division. In the steep competition that the platform provides, few exceptional athletes capitalized on the opportunities provided to them. Carving her own reputation in this handful lot is the 6-2 forward from the Grace Christian Sanford–Sarah Strong.
Dominant in every phase of the game, this young prospect is on the radar of some of the high-profile programs. Those also include South Carolina in the mix. Following this, coach Dawn Staley is currently in pursuit of acquiring the services of this amazing lady baller. But what makes her so special? Let’s dive in to find out more.
What does Sarah Strong bring to the table?
ADVERTISEMENT
Article continues below this ad
The No. 1 player in the 2024 class is one of the most hyped players to start her college basketball career. She is known to be a gentle giant on the court as she knows how to balance her brute strength with her finesse. Strong is exceptional in creating space for rebounds and can sneak inside any defense to score. Moreover, she also knows how to land a ball in the basket from beyond the arc with precision. However, her strength lies in her phenomenal capability to pass. There is hardly an occasion when she misses her teammate whether it’s cutting or court-sprinting. There is no denying that Sarah possesses the required skills to deliver a ball perfectly.
In addition to this, Strong also has lightning-quick movement with the ball. The opponents don’t know what hit them while guarding her as she can brisk through the tight spaces effortlessly. Further, her ability to closely analyze and assess the game situation and then act on it poses a serious threat to the defense. Also, she has this unique talent to sense the vulnerability within the opposing team’s game plan which can cause nightmares for them in the middle.
However, do her numbers really justify the talent that she has?
What do the statistics say about Sarah Strong?
Ever since her days at the Grace Christian Sanford, Sarah Strong has gained a lot of attention for being a prolific scoring machine. As a freshman, she averaged almost 30 points and grabbed close to 15 rebounds per game. Following this, she further developed and nurtured her skills and won the MVP of Eurocamp averaging 17.3 points and 6.3 rebounds.
Meanwhile, in the Chick-fil-A Classic’s second annual girls’ showcase game, she led Grace Christian to defeat the Edwards Camden squad 58-52. Consequently, Strong was their top scorer ending her night with 31 points and 17 rebounds. Additionally, she buried 7 out of her 10 three-pointers accurately.
She put on quite a show in front of the coaching staff who were in attendance.
Sarah Strong’s family
Sarah Strong has a very intimate and personal connection with basketball. She is the daughter of two distinguished Division I basketball players. Her father, Danny Strong played college basketball for North Carolina State in the mid-90s. Following this, he had a very illustrious and long professional career overseas.
At the same time, her mother Allison Feaster played for Chester High School. Later, she went on to represent Harvard and had an All-American career with them. Currently associated with the Boston Celtics. Apparently, she is currently serving as the Vice President of team operations and organizational growth.
Why does South Carolina need Sarah Strong?
The South Carolina squad already possesses a strong line-up comprising the likes of Kamilla Cardoso, Milaysia Fulwiley and Tessa Johnson. However, the team is lacking a strong forward who can rip apart the defenses of the opposing team. Sarah alongside Cardoso, Fulwiley, Raven Johnson even Te-Hina Paopao when she comes back will have the capacity to take down quality teams together. Each one of the above-mentioned players are tremendous 3-point shooter and the addition of Strong will only make them invincible from long-range. At present, the team has a 3-point success rate of 41.5.
ADVERTISEMENT
Article continues below this ad
Regarded as the best shooter in the 2024 class, Sarah Strong is sure to change the dynamics of any team she chooses to be a part of. If she chooses to go with South Carolina, she will be one of the four highly-rated freshman’s joining the Gamecocks this summer. In addition to this, with seniors like Kamilla Cardoso who might leave by the end of the season and be available for the WNBA, Strong can prove to be prove to be a worthy replacement.
There is no doubt that Sarah Strong belongs to the elite class of athletes. Her talent and numbers have spoken so much louder for her in the past few weeks. As a result, fans are eager to see which team grabs this generational talent and gets the best out of her skills.
ADVERTISEMENT
Article continues below this ad
Do you think Sarah should join North Carolina? Let us know in the comments section.
Watch This Story: All You Need To Know About Iowa Hawkeyes Coach Lisa-Bluder
