Sarah Strong and Team USA grab gold over Canada, 80-69, in U18 AmeriCup
It was celebration time for Sarah Strong on Sunday, as Team USA took care of business against Team Canada, 80-69, to win gold at the U18 AmeriCup
For Strong, this is her third Olympic gold medal after winning in both 2022 and 2023 at the FIBA 3x3 U18 World Cups.
Throughout the tournament, fans got to enjoy an overall look at Strong’s game as she averaged 7.2 points, 7.7 rebounds, 3.0 assists, and 2.2 steals in six games. During some matchups, she’d showcase her impressive shot-making, including a buzzer-beater against Brazil, while in others like the championship game, she’d display her pinpoint passing to set up her teammates for great looks. In the victory against Canada, the freshman forward tied Jasmine Davidson for the team lead in assists with four dimes.
She may not have gotten the start for the Stars and Stripes, but she’d play a key role off the bench and would play team-first basketball on both ends of the floor. One highlight play in the championship game would even see her grab a steal from Team Canada, run the floor, and find Kennedy Smith for an easy layup.
The best game of the tournament for Strong would be against the Dominican Republic, where she’d would put up 10 points, 11 rebounds, 5 assists, and 3 steals in 16 minutes of action, leading her team in boards. While that matchup would start off with the current Husky flashing off more of her playmaking, she’d really shine with her offensive rebounding and aggressive inside scoring.
Team USA this year was filled with a massive amount of talent, including players like Strong, South Carolina’s Joyce Edwards, and USC’s Kennedy Smith. It allowed them to advance to 71-2 in U18 women’s competition all time and continue their dominating ways. With the way that the overall unit operated throughout each game, they’d easily dominate their opponents, winning by as much as 115-20 against Mexico.
This dominance would help the Stars and Stripes gain access to the 2025 U19 Women’s World Cup next summer, and if the roster is able to play as well as they did in 2025 once more, more celebration may very well be on the way.