Latest news with #NaismithHighSchoolPlayeroftheYear
Washington Post
05-04-2025
- Sport
- Washington Post
Standout freshmen UConn's Sarah Strong, South Carolina's Joyce Edwards meet for national title
TAMPA, Fla. — Sarah Strong and Joyce Edwards have played against each other since about the eighth grade. They were two of the top girls basketball prospects in the country when they were AAU opponents. They shared co-MVP honors at the 2024 McDonald's All-American Girls Game and crossed paths again on USA Basketball's girls Under-19 team. Strong went on to play for Geno Auriemma's UConn Huskies. Edwards went with Dawn Staley's South Carolina Gamecocks. The two rising stars will meet again on Sunday, when No. 2 seed UConn faces top-seeded South Carolina in the national championship game in Tampa, Florida. Edwards played at Camden High School in South Carolina and was the 2024 Gatorade National Player of the Year. Strong, who played at Grace Christian School in North Carolina, was the 2024 Naismith High School Player of the Year. Strong remembers one key thing about playing Edwards back then in AAU. 'They had a great team. They beat us,' she said. 'It is what it is.' Both are having standout freshman seasons for two storied programs. Strong, the top-ranked player in her recruiting class, is averaging 16.2 points per game for the Huskies — second on the team behind Paige Bueckers' 20 — and leads the team with 8.7 rebounds. The 6-foot-2 forward entered her first NCAA tournament sitting in the top 10 all time among UConn freshmen in points, rebounds, assists, steals and blocked shots. Only Maya Moore had done that before. She's also the first Division I freshman with at least 500 points, 250 rebounds, 100 assists, 50 steals and 50 blocked shots since Candace Parker. 'Sarah — how do I say this? In the next three years, she might be the best player to come out of UConn,' said South Carolina coach Dawn Staley. 'And those are strong words. I know Stewy (Breanna Stewart) won four (national titles). But what she's able to do — stay calm, the IQ — is off the charts. The skill set, off the charts. 'Big play after big play after big play. Such a great complement to an already skilled UConn team. I think she's the piece that puts it all together. She makes it all work.' Strong and Staley also go way back. Strong's mother, Allison Feaster, was teammates with Staley on the WNBA's Charlotte Sting and they remained good friends after their playing days were over. Feaster's kept Staley updated on Strong's basketball growth. The Gamecocks recruited Strong to come to South Carolina, but the young prospect had been in talks with Auriemma's and UConn for a while. 'We probably came in a little bit late on Sarah. I think UConn was recruiting her much earlier in the process than we were,' Staley said. 'But being a teammate (with Feaster) I thought would actually help us out a little bit more than what it helped us out,' Staley quipped. 'Like, we made history together.' Staley did end up with a key contributor of her own in Edwards, who led a deep and experienced Gamecocks team with 12.7 points per game this season. Edwards had been quiet during the NCAA Tournament despite her stellar freshman campaign, which included a career-high 28 points and five rebounds against Florida in February. She was held to fewer than six points in each game of the tournament before the national semifinal on Friday, when she had 13 points, 11 rebounds, six assists and a steal. It was Edwards' fourth career double-double and most rebounds she's had in a game this season. South Carolina improved to 4-0 when she has a double-double. 'I'm happy for Joyce because I know as a young person, you're struggling in the very thing that you love to do,' Staley said. 'She really works at it. She watches film. She's obsessively working out. So you want people like that to enjoy the fruits of their labor.' Edwards said her teammates rallied around her during her tournament slump. That helped her not get too low, and trust that her breakout game was coming. 'I feel I was more definitive,' Edwards said. 'More open minded. Giving what the game gave me, not overthinking, not second-guessing, just going.' ___ AP March Madness bracket: and coverage: Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here .
Associated Press
05-04-2025
- Sport
- Associated Press
Standout freshman UConn's Sarah Strong, South Carolina's Joyce Edwards meet for national title
TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Sarah Strong and Joyce Edwards have played against each other since about the eighth grade. They were two of the top girls basketball prospects in the country when they were AAU opponents. They shared co-MVP honors at the 2024 McDonald's All-American Girls Game and crossed paths again on USA Basketball's girls Under-19 team. Strong went on to play for Geno Auriemma's UConn Huskies. Edwards went with Dawn Staley's South Carolina Gamecocks. The two rising stars will meet again on Sunday, when No. 2 seed UConn faces top-seeded South Carolina in the national championship game in Tampa, Florida. Edwards played at Camden High School in South Carolina and was the 2024 Gatorade National Player of the Year. Strong, who played at Grace Christian School in North Carolina, was the 2024 Naismith High School Player of the Year. Strong remembers one key thing about playing Edwards back then in AAU. 'They had a great team. They beat us,' she said. 'It is what it is.' Both are having standout freshman seasons for two storied programs. Strong, the top-ranked player in her recruiting class, is averaging 16.2 points per game for the Huskies — second on the team behind Paige Bueckers' 20 — and leads the team with 8.7 rebounds. The 6-foot-2 forward entered her first NCAA tournament sitting in the top 10 all time among UConn freshmen in points, rebounds, assists, steals and blocked shots. Only Maya Moore had done that before. She's also the first Division I freshman with at least 500 points, 250 rebounds, 100 assists, 50 steals and 50 blocked shots since Candace Parker. 'Sarah — how do I say this? In the next three years, she might be the best player to come out of UConn,' said South Carolina coach Dawn Staley. 'And those are strong words. I know Stewy (Breanna Stewart) won four (national titles). But what she's able to do — stay calm, the IQ — is off the charts. The skill set, off the charts. 'Big play after big play after big play. Such a great complement to an already skilled UConn team. I think she's the piece that puts it all together. She makes it all work.' Strong and Staley also go way back. Strong's mother, Allison Feaster, was teammates with Staley on the WNBA's Charlotte Sting and they remained good friends after their playing days were over. Feaster's kept Staley updated on Strong's basketball growth. The Gamecocks recruited Strong to come to South Carolina, but the young prospect had been in talks with Auriemma's and UConn for a while. 'We probably came in a little bit late on Sarah. I think UConn was recruiting her much earlier in the process than we were,' Staley said. 'But being a teammate (with Feaster) I thought would actually help us out a little bit more than what it helped us out,' Staley quipped. 'Like, we made history together.' Staley did end up with a key contributor of her own in Edwards, who led a deep and experienced Gamecocks team with 12.7 points per game this season. Edwards had been quiet during the NCAA Tournament despite her stellar freshman campaign, which included a career-high 28 points and five rebounds against Florida in February. She was held to fewer than six points in each game of the tournament before the national semifinal on Friday, when she had 13 points, 11 rebounds, six assists and a steal. It was Edwards' fourth career double-double and most rebounds she's had in a game this season. South Carolina improved to 4-0 when she has a double-double. 'I'm happy for Joyce because I know as a young person, you're struggling in the very thing that you love to do,' Staley said. 'She really works at it. She watches film. She's obsessively working out. So you want people like that to enjoy the fruits of their labor.' Edwards said her teammates rallied around her during her tournament slump. That helped her not get too low, and trust that her breakout game was coming. 'I feel I was more definitive,' Edwards said. 'More open minded. Giving what the game gave me, not overthinking, not second-guessing, just going.'
USA Today
05-04-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Who is Sarah Strong? UConn star freshman impacting women's Final Four vs. UCLA
Who is Sarah Strong? UConn star freshman impacting women's Final Four vs. UCLA Show Caption Hide Caption UConn players do their best impressions of head coach Geno Auriemma The UConn Huskies have some fun before Final Four and impersonate their head coach, Geno Auriemma. Sports Seriously Sarah Strong is a freshman basketball player on Geno Auriemma's UConn women's basketball team. Strong was the No. 1 overall recruit in the 2024 class and entered the 2025 Women's Final Four averaging 16.1 points per game. Strong led her high school team to three state titles and was the 2024 Naismith High School Player of the Year. On a team with superstars Paige Bueckers and Azzi Fudd, it would be easy for any freshman to be overshadowed. But UConn women's basketball's Sarah Strong is no ordinary freshman. The No. 1 overall recruit in the 2024 class is making quite an impact in the 2025 women's NCAA Tournament. Strong had 22 points, 17 rebounds and four assists in a 78-64 win over USC in the Elite Eight last week, then carried that performance to the Final Four against UCLA at Amalie Arena in Tampa, Florida, on Friday. In the first quarter, Strong scored eight points on 3 of 6 shooting, including two 3-pointers. She also had an assist as UConn raced to a 42-22 lead by halftime. Strong entered Friday averaging 16.1 points on 58% shooting, with 8.8 rebounds, 3.6 assists, 2.3 steals and 1.6 blocks in 38 starts this season. Here's a look at what you need to know about Strong, including stats and recruiting. REQUIRED READING: Explaining Dawn Staley's jewelry fashion during South Carolina games Sarah Strong stats Here's a look at Strong's stats during her first season at UConn: 2024-25: 16.1 points (58% shooting), 8.8 rebounds, 3.6 assists, 2.3 steals and 1.6 blocks in 38 games (38 starts) Is Sarah Strong eligible for 2025 WNBA draft? No, Strong is only a freshman and is 19 years old, making her ineligible for the WNBA Draft. According to league rules, a domestic entrant is required to be at least 22 years old during the year the draft occurs. The player must have no remaining college eligibility or renounce any remaining college eligibility. Sarah Strong height Strong is listed at 6-foot-2 on UConn's official women's basketball roster. Sarah Strong recruiting According to ESPN HoopGurlz recruiting rankings, Strong was the No. 1 player in the 2024 recruiting class and the top-rated forward. She attended Grace Christian School in Durham, North Carolina. Strong was the 2024 Naismith High School Player of the Year, awarded to the top player in girls high school basketball each year. Strong led Grace Christian to three NCISAA state titles, averaging 21.0 points, 16.8 rebounds, 4.6 assists and 2.8 steals. Who are Sarah Strong's parents? Strong is the daughter of Allison Feaster and Danny Strong. Feaster played basketball at Harvard from 1994 to 1998 and in the WNBA for the Los Angeles Sparks from 1998 to 2008. Feaster works as a vice president of team operations and organizational growth in the NBA's Boston Celtics front office. Danny Strong played college basketball with NC State in 1995-96 and 1996-97 before playing overseas for 15 years. Sarah Strong was born in Madrid, Spain.
USA Today
25-03-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
No. 1 women's basketball recruit Aaliyah Chavez picks Oklahoma over Texas
No. 1 women's basketball recruit Aaliyah Chavez picks Oklahoma over Texas At a ceremony in Lubbock, the No. 1 women's basketball recruit in the nation Aaliyah Chavez announced her choice of which program she would lead for the next several years. Unfortunately for Texas Longhorns fans, the 5-foot-11 point guard picked Oklahoma. The final decision was thought to be down to the SEC rivals. "They match how I want to play; I want to play fast," Chavez said of OU's up-tempo style of play. Last week, Chavez was named the 2025 Jersey Mike's Naismith High School Player of the Year, capping off a dominant senior season. "Her senior season was impressive, as she averaged 34.9 points, 9.1 rebounds, 4.3 assists and 3.7 steals per game," the Naismith Award news release read. "She led Monterey to a 37-5 record and finished her career leading her team to its first state title in 44 years in the Class 5A Division II finals. In this year's playoffs, she averaged 29.3 points per game, including games of 50 and 45 points." Chavez attended the Texas-Mississippi State game in the fall with the Texas women's basketball team. "They were one of my first offers too, so just keeping them in,' Aaliyah told the media. 'They're close to home. They recruit me well. I think I talk to them almost every day, and they always have high energy.' But calling the 40 Acres home wasn't in the cards. The Texas native is heading across the border to Norman, Oklahoma.
USA Today
25-03-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
No. 1 women's basketball recruit Aaliyah Chavez to make college choice Tuesday on ESPN
No. 1 women's basketball recruit Aaliyah Chavez to make college choice Tuesday on ESPN The No. 1 women's college basketball recruit in the country will make her college choice on Tuesday, live on ESPN. Lubbock native Aaliyah Chavez is thought to be down to Texas and Oklahoma. Last week, Chavez was named the 2025 Jersey Mike's Naismith High School Player of the Year, capping off a dominant senior season. "Her senior season was impressive, as she averaged 34.9 points, 9.1 rebounds, 4.3 assists and 3.7 steals per game," the Naismith Award news release read. "She led Monterey to a 37-5 record and finished her career leading her team to its first state title in 44 years in the Class 5A Division II finals. In this year's playoffs, she averaged 29.3 points per game, including games of 50 and 45 points." Chavez attended the Texas-Mississippi State game in the fall with the Texas women's basketball team. "They were one of my first offers too, so just keeping them in,' Aaliyah told the media. 'They're close to home. They recruit me well. I think I talk to them almost every day, and they always have high energy.' "Rated as the No. 1 player in the class, Chavez is a prolific yet efficient scoring option at the guard position," 247Sports wrote in its scouting report. "She can play on the basketball or off, though she might be best suited to be a primary lead guard in college. Chavez gets her shot off as easily as any high school guard I can remember dating back to the days of Kelsey Mitchell as a prep prospect. A five-star guard, Chavez has legitimate shooting range to 25 feet with the ability to get into the teeth of the defense on a consistent basis to make a shot or find a corner shooter."
