APEX — Junior power forward Sarah Strong is about to face the main part of her schedule this weekend.
Strong is ranked No. 4 overall in the country in the class of 2024 by ESPN’s HoopGurlz. The level of competition that Grace Christian normally faces is rising up a notch this weekend.
Grace Christian will play Huntersville (N.C.) 1 of 1 Prep and No. 47 junior post player Ella Hobbs at 6:30 p.m. Friday in the She Got Game Classic in Charlotte, N.C. Then Strong and Grace Christian will play No. 9-ranked junior center Blanca Thomas of Charlotte Catholic at 1:30 p.m. Saturday in the event.
Strong played Thomas this past summer in Concord, N.C., in traveling team action. It has been a while since she last played Hobbs.
“We got challenged when we played in Florida, but it will be good to get challenged again,” Strong said.
The ranking combined with her skill level and being the daughter of a former NC State player has made her the latest in line of major targets for Wolfpack coach Wes Moore. The Wolfpack are off both Friday and Saturday, which could make for an easy evaluation trip.
“He and his assistant coaches have been in [to see games],” Strong said. “It’s cool and I like having them at my games and watching me play.”
Strong said it’s been a while since she unofficially visited NC State, but said she’s due. She has watched the Wolfpack play on television this season.
“I’ve been watching their games and Saniya Rivers is doing good, and they have Diamond [Johnson],” Strong said. “It’s a different team, but I like it. They are getting used to each other.
“I want to see the nearby schools and places I haven’t been to.
“Of course, I want to see NC State and UNC. I also might like to see LSU and UConn. I try and picture myself where I’d help a team at different places.”
NC State will have some big home games coming up when Grace Christian doesn’t play, such as Notre Dame on Jan. 29. The NCISAA playoffs will start in February, but Virginia Tech is coming to Reynolds Coliseum on Feb. 6 and North Carolina on Feb. 16.
While Strong has been chill this fall and winter on taking unofficial visits, the college coaches have been coming in droves to see her. UNC coach Courtney Banghart and assistant coach Adrian Walters came to see Strong on Tuesday at Thales Academy in Apex, N.C. The game was essentially over after the first quarter and Thales scored just one point in the final three quarters, with Grace Christian winning 78-5. Strong had 16 points, nine rebounds, eight assists and six steals in the win.
Her father, former NC State player Danny Strong, said the the Wolfpack, Duke, UNC, UConn, LSU, Clemson, UCLA, Arizona and South Carolina, have all prioritized her. The Gamecocks have watched her in three games this season, with coach Dawn Staley make one of the trips.
Danny Strong said she’s concentrating on improving her face-up game, coming off of ball screens and making reads and plays off of that. Her three-point shooting percentage is much higher this season.
Sarah Strong said it isn’t easy for one head coach or assistant coach to stick out from the group, but one does get praise for his originality.
“It is coach G at LSU [Gary Redus II], because he will just call me and tell me some new food he tried at Chipotle and be interesting,” Strong said.
Strong led Grace Christian to a NCISAA Division I state title and 29-1 record last year, and averaged 25.5 points, 17.6 rebounds, 5.2 assists, 3.8 steals and 3.1 blocks per game.
Strong also made the USA Basketball 3-on-3 squad this past summer, which meant a trip to Hungary. She had lived in Spain growing up with her parents playing professional basketball, but had never been to Hungary before.
“It was good and it was different,” Strong said. “It was very competitive and those girls are really good. That was fun.
“I learned I need to get quicker for sure, like in physical shape.”
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