Strong to UConn [merged thread]

[Tonyc]

Thanks Cferraro for the call while I was on the golf course. This makes UConn almost unbeatable. We are number 1 and the team to beat next season. SC will be very good too but UConn imo is gonna be the team to beat. No more double teaming Paige when you've got what UConns got. Geno is gonna have alot of players who demand minutes, so we wont be tired at the end of the game and we are deep enough and big enough to handle every other team. Let me say this. With Sarah committing maybe just maybe the BIG O commits early and maybe Lara commits sooner too.

 

[Dove]

Last night's pain now replaced by UConn's gain!!


Interesting timing for this announcement.

 

[darrell]

 

[darrell]

We‘re getting a good one.

 

[WiseWillie]

all the doubters and naysayers should enjoy their crow and learn

Sarah made the right decision and is on the path to a bright college and professional career.

(p.s. For us vegans, instead of crow is it ok to substitute tofu or lentil soup?

 

[JavaMan]

This is such a fantastic way to announce!!

And it also shows following players and people on social media isn’t a sign

Not so sure about that. I'm convinced that Ms. Strong made her choice precisely because she has followed The Boneyard. Congrats, we have all been recruiting her all along!

 

[MinneHusky]

i'm calling it now, 2025 Natty Champs UConn Huskies

 

[Bills Fan]

This should definitely give us the number 1 recruiting class for next year.

Just looking at the ESPN 100, we have #s 1, 4, 18. The only one close with 3 top 100s is So. Car. with 2, 12, 26. So. Cal. is interesting with 6 of the top 100 but only 3 (6, 23, 28) in the top 40 with the last 3 looking more like depth (47, 53, 89). A couple of interesting items when comparing us to "rivals." ND, TN and LSU have only 1 each, and Stanford has 3, but only #'s 42, 44, and 86

Look for Geno, with Sarah, Allie, Morgan and Jana to pass Tara by the time the calendar turns to 2025 and just keeps adding difference between them.

 

[AgStatesman]

1 - of course she was always coming to UConn - never a doubt for really high iq fans.
2 - for those questioning the timing? Why do you assume her life right now revolves around college basketball? The finals of the girls national high school championships were today and she chose halftime of that game to do so. Seems like a high school senior announcing her decision at the high school championship makes a lot of sense.
3 - she is never going to play the 2 while a uconn. that's unrealistic.

 

[Galaxyshooter]

is it too premature to think of a starting 5 and a second five?...ready or not here's mine starting 5 Paige, Azzi, Sarah, Jana, and Aubrey....second 5 KK, Ice, Patterson, Shade, Allie...bench Chelli, Amari, Inez...other opinions valued...Ducharme's head injury is too hard to predict so she's left out

 

[jaydee602]

No, she read all those bad things and wanted to bring some good things to UConn... a very sweet girl.

Yeah, that's what I've heard. Another class act recruited by Geno!

 

[Barkin Out]

I appreciate the sentiment, but Iowa without CC wouldn’t be the same

True. Losing CC will change their line up. But with the Portal addition of Dee K, Maj F and Cross, that Iowa lineup still practically unstoppable.

 

[mainerhuski]

I believe you are correct about having the best chance since 2016 To win a championship
Having seen Sarah strong play in person and on TV three or four times you cannot overestimate how skilled ,fundamentally sound and physically dominating she is additionally, she has a very high basketball IQ is a team player and a very high character person
Like all freshman playing defense and college level will be an adjustment but
I will be shocked if she is not an impact player immediately
The very good news is that I think this will keep Gino around for four more years

I believe that Geno & CD are in the midst of negotiating a 5-year contract.

 

[Charliebball]

I don't know how I feel about "Go to UConn" being on her wall for quite some time. I've been fatalistic about her recruitment for quite a while. I think of it as "the Boston Effect". Hopefully that will fade away!

I love how she appreciated that UConn coaches kept things real in their contact with her. Other recruits have said the same. It is a winning formula and simple: be real, tell the truth.

that episode is what turned me into a recruiting pessimist too along with the Charlie Collier about-face.....

 

[and one]

After reading the article on Sarah, I am overjoyed with her commitment.

And no, she is not a post player. She is a power forward. We have our center, Jana.

Now can you imagine a front line of Jana, Sarah and Ice. But I'll let Geno make that decision.

Barring injury, we are loaded for next year.

This year we we had to go with two power forwards in AE and Ice to fill both the 4 and 5 spots. Paige floated around the paint in her role as a 1 through 5 as needed. If Jana gets up to speed quickly we'll have a true 5 and Sarah and Ice as true 4s. And Ayanna can be added to the 4 mix. Paige will be able to settle into a mere 1 through 3, which will save some energy and wear and tear.

 

[Charliebball]

I like it when you’re wrong

doesn't feel great when it's the stock market but feels just wonderful when it's UConn recruiting.....at this point I'm afraid to predict a player will sign with UConn in case I jinx it......

 

[mainerhuski]

Did anyone mention who her mother is? She's Allison Feaster from Harvard, WNBA and a Boston Celtics VP of Team Operations & Organizational Growth and her Harvard team a #16 seed beat a #1 seed Stanford too

Having watched Feaster play it was always evident that her bball IQ was off the charts (not to mention her “regular” IQ.) Clearly she and her husband are excellent parents, as well.

 

[Bills Fan]

Welcome Sarah, now all us loyal Husky followers can spend the summer hypothesizing about our new lineup (assuming all are healthy). Jana and Amari at the 5 (C) is easy, Paige back to the 2 (SG )is also easy. KK at the 1 (PG) competing with Morgan and ? Sarah at the 4 (PF) competing with ? and finally Azzi at the 3 (SF) competing with ?. Please help me out here and fill in the ? with names and order of preference. And now should I assume the roster to be complete with all scholarships filled? Does that leave out Emely?

ERW, one easy answer to our post/questions. Substitute ICE, in place of Amari, at the 5 with Jana.

 

[mainerhuski]

The way Geno operates, the 4 and 5 are both post players, while 1-3 are guards( or all point guards in '24), or call it 2guards and a wing.

I think like he did recently for Aaliyah, ONO and Dorka, he'll teach Strong both 4 and 5 spots. She can be a great passer too from high post, and Geno has versions of the offense that get both 4 and 5 outside to shoot 3 pointers.

Strong will also have to beat out our current power forward, Bueckers.

I really hope we stay healthy. Depth with bigs and even depth at wing - Griffin, Samuels, Patterson, Ducharme and of course even Paige and Azzi can play there if needed.

Will be interesting to see how Geno organizes this, after years of having to play people out of position, there now may even be depth at people's natural spots.

I don’t picture Ducharme getting/wanting playing time. The multiple concussions seem to have taken their toll & it may just be too risky for her to play a contact sport again. I’d rather her be a healthy alum than an player.

 

[HuskyFan1125]

Welcome to UCONN Sarah!! Your gonna love it and Husky Nation will love you.

 

[uconnfan68]

all the doubters and naysayers should enjoy their crow and learn

Tough to get down, but I’m eating my share. I may have said I didn’t think she was coming here, and generally stayed out of most threads, but I honestly am surprised by this! And very happy too!

 

[RockyMTblue2]

Some nice looks at her game with Dawn Staley and Geno in attendance. Her league championship.

 

[browns]

Is there another team -- on paper -- that's even close to the Huskies next year?

SC,ND,Oregon State,Texas

 

[GG]

Uhhh seems like you don’t watch this team that much…Amari at the 5 isn’t happening much next season. It’ll probably be Jana (starting) and Ice at the 5 with Ayanna spelling minutes there and at the 4. Sarah (starting) and Aubrey along with Ayanna at the 4. Caroline (starting if healthy), Morgan, and Q at the 3. Azzi (starting if healthy), Allie, and Ashlyn at the 2. Paige (starting) and KK at the 1. Amari and Innes won’t be getting much playing time next season…

So assuming good health…
Paige
Azzi
Caroline
Sarah
Jana

I do not believe Caroline will start.

 

[ScottCT]

One thing I was surprised about watching her highlights is that I didn't know she was that good of a shooter.