Who will Sarah Strong pick?

[temery]

Let's say the charitable person is Paige. The 16th person would have to face Paige every single day in the locker room. What kind of strained relationship would that be? That's a little different than accepting an athletic scholarship. As far as the kid who just misses getting a scholarship, they ain't in the locker room either.

It seems to be done more and more in the pros. A player renegotiates his contract to create cap room for a new player. I'll assume a top tier college locker room would be just as ok with this as a pro team.

It's not entirely (or at all) a charitable move: Success pays off for everyone in the long run.

 

[PAHuskeyFan]

I agree that the position Sarah would naturally aim at is wide open for competition. She hasn't proven herself either... yet. But this only means that the competition for starting minutes will be keen and really satisfying for all the girls.

Just to be clear, Sarah is a power forward with a smooth perimeter shooting game who prefers to pass from the high post. I expect she knows this is a regular role in Geno's offense -- he likes to station a big at the top of the key as one way to initiate half court sets. It's a familiar image, from Aaliyah to Dorka to Liv to Katie Lou to Steph to Tina to Kara to Rebecca. I'm sure Sarah is aware of this history. She's also quick enough at 6'2" to be able to dominate the glass against pretty much anyone in D1.

What may be even more interesting for a skilled passer like her is to experience how quickly the transition offense develops. Picture Sarah running the floor with Azzi Paige KK Ash Q and Aubrey. Picture Jana or Ice or Sarah or Ayanna or Caroline grabbing a rebound and firing an outlet pass to the finest backcourt in D1. Think about the pressure on opposing players when they shoot once they see how quickly a miss turns into 2 points at the other end.

What I see unfolding if she comes to Storrs is a really strong front court consisting of some rotation of Ice Jana Sarah Ayanna Aubrey and Caroline. Obviously Aubrey and Caroline will also spend some time in the backcourt, especially on D. Pair this front court rotation with a back court consisting of Paige Azzi Ash KK Q Allie and Morgan and you have a really deep team. The primary competition will be among themselves to see who can pass shoot defend and rebound the most effectively. In most games, the other team will be the secondary set of competitors for our girls.

Who will be the first team of starters? Who will come off the bench? Impossible to say right now. But I expect this distinction won't matter as much to this team as it does to most teams. Also, I don't expect the regular rotation to settle down before February, when Jana Ayanna Aubrey and Azzi will have had a chance to shake off the rust. Somehow, I think they'll be allowed to take their time and ease their way back in to the lineup.

And just to be even clearer: even if Sarah doesn't pick Storrs, I expect UConn to be ranked in the top 3 preseason, and if she does choose Storrs, I expect UConn to be the consensus preseason #1. Paige & Co will be the team to beat next year.

@Bone Dog, great feedback and I concur with you. I never meant to imply that Sarah is going to walk in the door of the Werth Basketball Training facility and be handed the PF position by just showing up. I was trying to say that there is no "incumbent" that she has to take the spot from... like Paige who I believe is the only 100% sure starter if she remains healthy (Can't have our returning AA sitting on the bench). With Aaliyah (most likely) and Nika moving on, the only person with a guaranteed spot on opening day will be Paige. Ash and KK will have to fight the returning injured guards and the incoming freshmen guards for their spots. But think of the depth of that rotation. The rotation for the bigs is equally impressive if they return from injury as we all hope they will. I am concerned about whether Caroline will ever be the same as the player we saw in her Freshman season. It's a shame, but not being able to come back from her injury thus far is scary...her health is #1 priority.

 

[RoadMaster]

Picture Sarah running the floor with Azzi Paige KK Ash Q and Aubrey

There would have to be a couple of illegal substitutions .. ..kidding
I agree..She would be a great get for UConn!

 

[Audi1954]

Agree with rshermvikes. Sarah may make her own decision but if she asks her mom (Allison Feaster) the answer will be UConn. Her mom played in the WNBA from 1998-2006. Her rivals included Nykesha, Sveta, Sue, Swin, Asjha and Diana. Now she works for the Celtics and she sees many UConn women who have also made a career from basketball - Rebecca, Jenn, Swin, Asjha, Renee, Carla, Nykesha, Jamelle, Ashley, etc. For the last 25 years she has seen the value of playing for Geno at UConn and her advice should be to head to Storrs. I think it was a somewhat similar situation with Azzi and her mom and that worked out okay.

Well said!

 

[Huskee11]

I have never been to Cameron Indoor Stadium but it is said to be a fabulous on-campus basketball facility, Cameron Crazies, etc., Dick Vitale baby.

It seats 9314.

It often sells out.

For the men, that is.

I looked at the attendance figures for the games on the Duke WCBB website. Looks like the women sold out once this year, for the North Carolina game on Sunday, February 11. No other game came close to that.

I was shocked looking at the attendance figures for Duke WCBB games there this season. Many games with attendance around 2,000. Duke versus Notre Dame on Monday February 19 only drew 2485 there. NC State on Sunday, February 25 at Cameron drew a decent 4633.

Ten games with attendance under 2500.

By comparison, UConn drew over 14,000 to a weekday game on February 7 against Seton Hall.

Maybe Lawson is selling the notion that Strong, Fournier et al will create the buzz and bring the crowds to Cameron, but if there is a leap of faith in this whole process, seems to me that is it. Even if they move the needle somewhat, it will still be hard to even get the arena half-filled.

What big time player wants to play to an empty house?

 

[Charliebball]

No pity here. Cooper Flagg isn’t going to Duke because of the weather. But, he can count his money while he’s reading about the Big East tournament at Madison Square Garden in front of 19,000 screaming people, 70% of them UConn fans, while the crickets sing at the ACC tourney.

I’m in NYC now and it’s unbelievable. And, looky, they lit up the Empire State Building to honor UConn’s win last night (yes, really)

Enjoy the peace and quiet in North Carolina, Cooper

View attachment 97725

Speaking of which, I wonder whether Ms. Strong cares about these kinds of attendance per game numbers...........I sure would
Duke - 2,588
UNC - 3,679
UConn - 11,307

 

[RockyMTblue2]

 

[Zarathustra]

Let's say the charitable person is Paige. The 16th person would have to face Paige every single day in the locker room. What kind of strained relationship would that be? That's a little different than accepting an athletic scholarship. As far as the kid who just misses getting a scholarship, they ain't in the locker room either.

A "strained Relationship" with Paige? I'm getting some strange vibes about the recent
trend of all SARAH STRONG threads. Sounds to me that somebody is trying to REALLY
stir the waters of controversy... Sarah will make the best decision for herself ( for now and
for her future ). I think that I will take a back seat from this Boneyard discussion.. Time
and Sarah will "TELL". GOOD LUCK TO SARAH in all her future plans!! Z
P.S. Paige is an IDEAL Teammate!! So are all the Huskies..... Join the Family!

 

[From France]

Sarah Strong won't be UCONN a better known school for women's BB.
But if they agree, UCONN will be better and Sarah's name will have better recognition which can give her NIL opportunities.

 

[Ladeeeeda]

Prominent profiles attract NIL interest. Paige's accounts are worth well over $500K. If Ms. Strong is as good as advertised and has an appealing personality, she'll do quite well at UConn with NIL money.

I'm talking about Duke, which was the program the original poster referenced.

 

[From France]

For me, it is just up to her character, stay home and be a starteror going away and being challenged ... that's a decision that can separates greats to stars or greats to "should have been"

 

[Bone Dog]

Who will Sarah pick? I have no idea. It may come down to personality. She seems to be reserved judging from how little she uses social media. Would that mean staying local? Maybe. It’d mean a smaller stage, at least initially, and a familiar one. It could feel safe to a shy girl, if that’s who she is. Kids who go far away to college are often looking to break free, to begin the adventure of life. Would she be comfortable with that?

Coming to UConn would mean stepping onto the big stage right away. We all believe the culture in Storrs would be very welcoming to her, almost a new family. That’s what all the Huskies of the past say about their experience there. But would Sarah recognize this, or trust it. The Huskies also talk about how challenging it is to play there. Does Sarah want that sort of challenge?

Playing with Paige and Azzi might look really attractive. This is the central feature of the landscape at Storrs. But it could also look to a shy outsider like a closed group. As kind and generous as those two are, I could imagine it seeming like a daunting circle to fit into. Nika fit into it, but has Sarah really heard what Nika says about her best friends? She was the outsider who was welcomed in. But could she also seem like the adventurous type who’s up for any challenge. This picture can be read both ways.

This is what’s impossible to read about Sarah’s eventual decision: we don’t know what kind of personality she is off the court. All we really know is that IF she loves basketball above all else, it’s hard to imagine a better place for her than UConn

 

[hoophuskee]

Sarah Strong: At UCONN no one is an "automatic start"... but like Paige and Azzi, and
surely some notable others.... I would not bet against Sarah...SO....IF SHE REALLY WANTS IT...
GO FOR IT SARAH!

I'm making a prediction that she will be - in the context of automatic I meant -- she will show to be as if automatic.

 

[Martin]

There’s always why go to Uconn if no guarantee Coach is there 4 years?

 

[Dogdude]

I already feel sorry for this kid. No matter what her decision is now, as she's waited so long, it'll be shredded to analytical bits. She's got to be happy, wherever she goes. Does she like a local, lower-key program? Good for her...go where you'll be happy. Does she want a higher-pressure school like UConn? I personally hope so, but I hope more that she'll be happiest here if she does choose UConn. Happy kids do better in all things. Maybe she's thinking that she'd prefer not to have the pressure of starting immediately and having to be the difference-maker. Maybe she wants to be coached hard right off the bat, and have to compete for a spot. Who knows? But again, just go for happy..no one ever went wrong with that.

 

[Pre-3]

You are on a UConn board how did you think the votes were going to go any other way?

 

[hoophuskee]

I agree that the position Sarah would naturally aim at is wide open for competition. She hasn't proven herself either... yet. But this only means that the competition for starting minutes will be keen and really satisfying for all the girls.

Just to be clear, Sarah is a power forward with a smooth perimeter shooting game who prefers to pass from the high post. I expect she knows this is a regular role in Geno's offense -- he likes to station a big at the top of the key as one way to initiate half court sets. It's a familiar image, from Aaliyah to Dorka to Liv to Katie Lou to Steph to Tina to Kara to Rebecca. I'm sure Sarah is aware of this history. She's also quick enough at 6'2" to be able to dominate the glass against pretty much anyone in D1.

What may be even more interesting for a skilled passer like her is to experience how quickly the transition offense develops. Picture Sarah running the floor with Azzi Paige KK Ash Q and Aubrey. Picture Jana or Ice or Sarah or Ayanna or Caroline grabbing a rebound and firing an outlet pass to the finest backcourt in D1. Think about the pressure on opposing players when they shoot once they see how quickly a miss turns into 2 points at the other end.

What I see unfolding if she comes to Storrs is a really strong front court consisting of some rotation of Ice Jana Sarah Ayanna Aubrey and Caroline. Obviously Aubrey and Caroline will also spend some time in the backcourt, especially on D. Pair this front court rotation with a back court consisting of Paige Azzi Ash KK Q Allie and Morgan and you have a really deep team. The primary competition will be among themselves to see who can pass shoot defend and rebound the most effectively. In most games, the other team will be the secondary set of competitors for our girls.

Who will be the first team of starters? Who will come off the bench? Impossible to say right now. But I expect this distinction won't matter as much to this team as it does to most teams. Also, I don't expect the regular rotation to settle down before February, when Jana Ayanna Aubrey and Azzi will have had a chance to shake off the rust. Somehow, I think they'll be allowed to take their time and ease their way back in to the lineup.

And just to be even clearer: even if Sarah doesn't pick Storrs, I expect UConn to be ranked in the top 3 preseason, and if she does choose Storrs, I expect UConn to be the consensus preseason #1. Paige & Co will be the team to beat next year.

Sarah will start. In big games that are close all the way other than maybe the 1st few weeks, she'll get about 35 minutes in those big games.

A positive for UCONN getting Sarah is that we know and the elite recruits know that Geno will play them. In big games he shortens his bench. If UCONN were healthy next year they will have a ton of blowouts. Thus, no player is getting worn down.

 

[bballnut90]

I have never been to Cameron Indoor Stadium but it is said to be a fabulous on-campus basketball facility, Cameron Crazies, etc., Dick Vitale baby.

It seats 9314.

It often sells out.

For the men, that is.

I looked at the attendance figures for the games on the Duke WCBB website. Looks like the women sold out once this year, for the North Carolina game on Sunday, February 11. No other game came close to that.

I was shocked looking at the attendance figures for Duke WCBB games there this season. Many games with attendance around 2,000. Duke versus Notre Dame on Monday February 19 only drew 2485 there. NC State on Sunday, February 25 at Cameron drew a decent 4633.

Ten games with attendance under 2500.

By comparison, UConn drew over 14,000 to a weekday game on February 7 against Seton Hall.

Maybe Lawson is selling the notion that Strong, Fournier et al will create the buzz and bring the crowds to Cameron, but if there is a leap of faith in this whole process, seems to me that is it. Even if they move the needle somewhat, it will still be hard to even get the arena half-filled.

What big time player wants to play to an empty house?

Oregon pre-Sabrina averaged 1629 fans and just 2,600 fans her freshman year, but by her senior year they averaged 10k+.

Juju Watkins chose USC who averaged 1000 fans a game last year and within a year the attendance went up almost 4x and increased steadily throughout the season. Numbers will likely be much higher next year and her final 2 years.

If Strong is as good as advertised and Duke elevates as a program, she'll draw fans and Duke's attendance numbers will increase significantly over her 4 years.

 

[Vancat]

There’s always why go to Uconn if no guarantee Coach is there 4 years?

There is no guarantee any coach will be there 4 years

 

[Dogstar]

Well said!

Agree with rshermvikes. Sarah may make her own decision but if she asks her mom (Allison Feaster) the answer will be UConn. Her mom played in the WNBA from 1998-2006. Her rivals included Nykesha, Sveta, Sue, Swin, Asjha and Diana. Now she works for the Celtics and she sees many UConn women who have also made a career from basketball - Rebecca, Jenn, Swin, Asjha, Renee, Carla, Nykesha, Jamelle, Ashley, etc. For the last 25 years she has seen the value of playing for Geno at UConn and her advice should be to head to Storrs. I think it was a somewhat similar situation with Azzi and her mom and that worked out okay.

Good post, but playing devils advocate, if she were ask her mom, who attended Harvard, education may play a part in her decision and a Duke diploma opens a lot of doors and opportunities later on during and after her pro basketball career has ended... JS

 

[jonack]

To me, all roads lead to Duke.…. Close to home and academics…

 

[Huskee11]

Oregon pre-Sabrina averaged 1629 fans and just 2,600 fans her freshman year, but by her senior year they averaged 10k+.

Juju Watkins chose USC who averaged 1000 fans a game last year and within a year the attendance went up almost 4x and increased steadily throughout the season. Numbers will likely be much higher next year and her final 2 years.

If Strong is as good as advertised and Duke elevates as a program, she'll draw fans and oDuke's attendance numbers will increase significantly over her 4 years.

Maybe so, I hope we never get the chance to find out.

Meanwhile, the three top 30 recruits for Duke from the class of 2023 are wondering why they played in front of more people when they were in high school. Wonder what Lawson told them?

 

[The CDR-Ret]

If Charlie Creme's bracketology holds, maybe Sarah is waiting for the Duke vs. UConn game at Storrs.... (current #6 vs. #3 in the Portland 3 regional).

One can only hope, and pray that Sarah finds the urge to announce her commitment to UConn after the NCAA second round game to add more energy to March Madness, at least for Huskie fans!

Go Huskies!!! [including the Men tonight in the Big East Finals!

 

[CAbballfan2]

Maybe so, I hope we never get the chance to find out.

Meanwhile, the three top 30 recruits for Duke from the class of 2023 are wondering why they played in front of more people when they were in high school. Wonder what Lawson told them?

Are they wondering that? I guess if that really bothers them they will hit the portal in the spring. I’m from the Maryland area and actually watched some of Jadyn and Delaneys regular season games, they were not sold out high school gyms. lol

 

[stamfordhusky]

I personally would not tolerate being the 16th person on a team knowing that I'm getting charity from another player. I would have a big problem with that. I can't believe anyone with an ounce of self-respect would allow themselves to be put in that position.

It really doesn’t matter, however, because the chance of that scenario unfolding is exactly zero.