Tag: UConn recruiting

No. 1 girls basketball prospect Sarah Strong commits to UConn Huskies

Big news for the Huskies’ future.

UConn and its fans are frustrated about the end of the extremely close semifinals game against Iowa on Friday night, but Saturday opened with some good news for the program.

Sarah Strong, the No. 1 girls basketball prospect on ESPN’s rankings, committed to the Huskies this afternoon. The 6-foot-2 power forward led Grace Christian to a 30-0 season and berth in the prestigious Chipotle Nations this year, graduating with three-year career averages of 23 points, 16.0 rebounds (5.3 on the offensive glass), 4.7 assists, 3.3 steals and 2.3 blocks per game.

She won two gold medals in the 3×3 U18 World Cup, and this year, was the McDonald’s All-American Game co-MVP.

Strong, who committed very late in this cycle, gives UConn a final win this season. The highly touted senior chose the Huskies over a plethora of schools, including Duke and North Carolina, which rounded out her top three.

She showed her talent best against the top competition in high school. She was named McDonald’s MVP after posting a double-double with 11 points and 12 rebounds, and she one-upped that performance in the Chipotle Nationals as she recorded a remarkable 31 points, 19 rebounds, three assists, and five 3-pointers.

Strong was also a Naismith All-American this year.

UConn has a very strong class of 2024 that is plenty good to help continue their long rein of excellence. Allie Ziebell, ranked No. 4 in the class, and Morgan Cheli, ranked No. 18, join Strong as the new additions to the esteemed program.

They’ll be looking to join the likes of Diana Taurasi, Maya Moore, Sue Bird, Breanna Stewart, and other UConn alumni who have made an impact at the collegiate and WNBA levels.

Related: USA TODAY High School Sports Stars of the Week: Sarah Strong, Joyce Edwards, Dylan Harper, Cooper Flagg, Jayden Heavener

After canceled Kansas visit, Cooper Flagg’s mom expects college decision soon

Cooper Flagg’s mom and Montverde coach both expect he’ll decide between Duke and UConn soon. Early signing period runs from Nov. 8-15.

Top high school boys basketball recruit Cooper Flagg canceled his official visit to Kansas that had been scheduled for this weekend, according to the Messenger. With that text to head coach Bill Self and assistant coach Norm Roberts, he is expected to soon make a decision on his collegiate future.

Both Montverde head coach Kevin Boyle and Cooper’s mother, Kelly Flagg, told the outlet that they think the decision soon.

Flagg took an official visit to UConn the weekend of Feb. 22. During the week of Oct. 20-22, he will take an official visit to Duke, his second visit after an unofficial one in August.

“Unless he’s unbelievably confused, I’m pretty sure he’s going to make a decision very quickly after he visits Duke,” Kelly Flagg said. “That way, he can put it behind him and focus on what he needs to do to get better.”

The early signing period for the NCAA runs from Nov. 8 to 15.

From what Boyle said to the Messenger, it sounds like Duke and UConn are the only two schools Flagg is considering.

“I would expect he will decide after the Duke visit in a reasonably short period,” Montverde head coach Kevin Boyle told The Messenger. “He’s seen both campuses and talked enough to both staffs that he can make a decision. He’s not looking for more attention. Let’s be honest, he’s getting enough of it already.”

Flagg is a 6-foot-9, 200-pound forward at Montverde Academy who reclassified from the class of 2025 to 2024 shortly before the season. Even with the reclassification, he is ranked as the No. 1 player in the class of 2024 and is widely regarded as the best player in high school basketball.

See the 3 universities Cooper Flagg has scheduled visits for this fall

Cooper Flagg is taking his first official visit to reigning NCAA Men’s Basketball Champion UConn this weekend, according to On3.

Cooper Flagg, widely considered the top high school player in the nation, is making moves to realize his college decision. He has three scheduled visits this fall, according to a new report from On3, and the first one will be this weekend.

The 6-foot-9, 195-pound forward will visit reigning NCAA men’s basketball champion UConn this weekend, according to the outlet. The Huskies are hoping for yet another victory this year, and adding Flagg to their class of 2024 that already includes a pair of four-star players in Ahman Nowell and Isaiah Abraham would would raise their potential to stay atop once the class arrives.

Their not the only recent champion seeking the services of Flagg. The 2022 National Champion Kansas Jayhawks are also in pursuit and have a visit scheduled from Oct. 6-8, according to On3.

Kansas already has one top-tier commit in the class of 2024 in Flory Bidunga, a five-star center ranked No. 8 in the class.

Flagg rounds out his early-year visits with Duke, which he will visit from Oct. 20-22, according to On3. The Blue Devils already have a crazy good recruiting class in 2024, with a pair of five-star forwards in Isaiah Evans and Kon Knueppel and a four-star forward in Darren Harris. The Blue Devils will try to sell him on his fit with the group and amplify their star power even further.

While Flagg is taking his time to make visits and choose his next stop, he sped up the process considerably by reclassifying to the class of 2024 in August. He’ll get to see three programs over the next month and take another step toward his decision. These surely won’t be his only visits.