She typically stands out as the tallest and most powerful player on the basketball court, which can be extremely frustrating for opposing teams when she steps away from dominating in the low post to make a three-point shot.

She is skilled at breaking through defensive pairs, but she also excels at making accurate passes on the court. Therefore, she may opt to pass to an open teammate, even from a far distance, with a simple flick of her hand.

She is able to execute the fast break at a rapid pace, but is not affected by any attempts to impede or accelerate her.

It appears to be similar to the top performer in the National Basketball Association, Nikola Jokic of the Denver Nuggets.

Instead, it’s the best high school girls basketball player in the nation, 6-foot-2 senior forward Sarah Strong of Grace Christian of Sanford.

“According to her coach Chad Revelle, she possesses impressively quick reflexes without pretense. Her coordination between hand and eye, as well as her ability to anticipate the ball’s trajectory, are often overlooked aspects of her high game intelligence. These subtle skills greatly contribute to her success on the court.”

Strong’s versatile performance on the court is a product of dedication and impressive family background, as her parents are former professional basketball players. Her father, Danny Strong, was a power forward for N.C. State from 1995-1997 before playing overseas for 15 years. Meanwhile, her mother, Allison Feaster, made history by leading 16-seed Harvard to an unprecedented win over 1-seed Stanford in the NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament. Feaster also had a successful career as a guard in the WNBA for 10 seasons and currently serves as the Vice President of Player Development and Organizational Growth for the Boston Celtics.

“I have observed Maya Moore extensively while I was growing up,” Sarah stated. “I also watched my parents play, so I tried to emulate their skills as they were exceptional players in their time.”

Following a match against Bishop McGuinness, coach Brian Robinson, who has been a part of USA Basketball since 2007, made a comparison to another player: Tasha Humphrey. Humphrey was selected as the 11th overall pick in the 2008 WNBA Draft and although her professional career did not take off, she maintained an average of 18.0 points and 8.6 rebounds, while shooting 50.5 percent from the field and 78.4 percent from the free throw line during her time at Georgia.

Her peers frequently mention Jokic’s name.

The coach has an additional one.

Revelle expressed her belief that she resembles Magic Johnson with her shooting abilities. She is a strong offensive leader, a skilled passer, and has a superior shot compared to Magic Johnson, despite his reputation as a great player.

Is it absurd to use the name of one of the top NBA players to evaluate her performance?

Absolutely not – especially considering the versatile skill set that resembles that of a Magic-like player.

This season, she has been averaging 20.7 points, 16.4 rebounds, 3.7 assists, 3.0 steals, and 1.7 blocks per game with a shooting percentage of 51 from the field, 33 from 3, and 75 from the line. In a recent game, she made 7 out of 10 3-pointers to secure a victory against a top team from South Carolina and maintain an undefeated record.

Her team, with a record of 23 wins and 0 losses, has only been defeated by one team from their state in the past three seasons. They have won back-to-back championships in the N.C. Independent Schools Athletic Association, with the 2022 title in 1A and the 2023 title in 2A.

Currently in the third year, the Crusaders are ready to achieve a third consecutive win in three separate categories.

Strong is being pursued by several teams, including South Carolina, UConn, North Carolina, UCLA, Oregon, LSU, N.C. State, and Louisville for the upcoming year. Oregon was present at the Bishop McGuinness game. During her time with the Charlotte Sting, South Carolina coach Dawn Staley played alongside her mother. N.C. State is where her father also played.

Revelle stated that regardless of the path she takes, college coaches can expect to not only acquire the current Gatorade state player of the year and McDonald’s All-American, but also a valuable leader for their team.

According to Revelle, she has a great sense of humor and is able to keep things light in a positive manner, while also being focused and taking on a leadership role this year.

Source: highschoolot.com