CONCORD — Sanford (N.C.) Grace Christian sophomore post player Sarah Strong has a little different meaning when she puts on her traveling team jersey.
The 6-foot-2 Strong, who ESPN’s HoopGurlz ranks No. 5 overall nationally in the class of 2024, plays for Lady Strong 2024. It means something a little different when the traveling team organization has been something her father started from scratch, and is also her coach. It’s not simply a jersey to her, but she takes it all in stride.
“I just go out and play,” Strong said. “I want to work on my conditioning, jump higher and run faster. I want to improve my shooting and ballhandling.”
Her father, Danny Strong, averaged 12.5 points and 4.9 rebounds for NC State, and started all 63 games from 1995-97. Her mother is accomplished former women’s star Allison Feaster-Strong, who played at Harvard and in the WNBA.
Sarah Strong was first-team All-State by HighSchoolOT.com after leading Grace Christian to a NCISAA Division I state title this past winter. She averaged 25.5 points, 17.6 rebounds, 5.2 assists, 3.8 steals and 3.1 blocks.
Grace Christian went 29-1 overall and topped Charlotte (N.C.) Victory Christian 46-40 on Feb. 26 in the state title game. Strong paced the squad with 24 points, 22 rebounds and four blocks. Grace Christian will lose five seniors from the championship squad.
“That was a lot of fun,” Strong said. “The second half went a lot better than the first half. I was off in the first half, but in the second half, we put it all together.
“We were ready for it and all the hard work we did and all the work in the gym paid off.”
Strong has carried over her productive play to traveling team hoops. She played the fourth of four games this past Sunday in Concord, N.C., helping her team top the Carolina Flames 17s 60-50. She had 20 points and 16 rebounds in the victory.
After her prep season ended, she closely watched the NCAA Women’s Tournament, and the nail-biting games NC State had to top Notre Dame, but then to fall to UConn in two overtimes in essentially a road game in the Elite Eight. The recruiting relationship with the Wolfpack continues to go well.
“It was fun because I just love watching basketball,” Strong said. “Those were two good teams. NC State has a good team, but so do Connecticut and Notre Dame.
“NC State did a good job but Paige [Bueckers of UConn] did good over the last two overtimes.”
Strong also watched South Carolina top UConn in the national title game on TV. The Huskies and Fighting Irish had assistant coaches tracking Strong on Sunday, but the Gamecocks have yet to offer.
“South Carolina was a really good team,” Strong said.
Strong hopes to attend team camps at both NC State and North Carolina.
“I’ll just be in the gym and work on everything,” Strong said.
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