Celtics executive expresses pride at daughter's place with Paige Bueckers in March Madness pursuit

For basketball legend and Boston Celtics executive Allison Feaster, watching this year’s NCAA proceedings is particularly gratifying as she is the mother of UConn forward Sarah Strong. Strong was the No.1 recruit in the nation coming out of Grace Christian School (Sanford, North Carolina) and has lived up to the billing in her first season in Storrs.

Strong is averaging 16.0 points per game, which is second to Paige Bueckers’ 18.7 ppg, and a team-leading 8.5 rebounds per contest. The Big East Freshman of the Year is the first freshman in Division I since Candace Parker to rack up at least 500 points 250 rebounds, 100 assists, 50 steals, and 50 blocks.

Reflecting on her daughter's success, Feaster spoke to Andscape this week:

“I’m pleased,” Feaster said. “I’m really impressed, first and foremost, by the defensive player that she is. She is leading the team in steals and blocks and those are things that directly impact winning and I couldn’t be more proud. I know she’s growing and gaining more confidence in her role. And the fact that she’s playing alongside Paige [Bueckers] and Azzi [Fudd] is just unreal…

“It’s been great. It’s taken some of the pressure off her. She had pressure obviously coming in as the No. 1 recruit in the country, but zero pressure to do anything other than be who she is in the court.”

For Allison Feaster, basketball is the family business. In college, Feaster made history on March 14, 1998, when she scored 35 points and grabbed 13 rebounds in leading her Harvard team to be the first No. 16 seed to defeat a No.1 seed when the Crimson upended Stanford 71-67.

Feaster was drafted fifth overall by the Los Angeles Sparks in the 1998 WNBA Draft and would go on to enjoy a 10-year career in the WNBA. She would then play in Portugal, France,

Her husband, Danny Strong was an accomplished player in his own right. Strong was a 1st team JUCO All-American at Spartanburg Methodist College in 1994-95. He then transferred to N.C. State, where he appeared in 63 games ( 63 starts), averaging 12.5 points and 4.9 rebounds, and was named to the All-ACC Tournament Second Team in 1997. Strong played professionally in France.

Paige Bueckers and Sarah Strong's roles in UConn’s massive NCAA opening-round win over Arkansas State

Paige Bueckers - NCAA Womens Basketball: NCAA Tournament First Round-Arkansas St. at Connecticut - Source: Imagn

With Sarah Strong and Aziz Fudd setting the tone against Arkansas State (the former going for 20 points on 9-10 from the floor along with 12 boards, and the latter going for a tourney career-high 27 points,) the Lady Huskies did not need a monster offensive game from Paige Bueckers. Bueckers finished with 11 points and 4 assists in the Huskies' 103-34 obliteration of the Red Wolves.

Arkansas led 2-0 against UConn but by the time they scored their next points, the Red Wolves were down 22-2. By the time Bueckers got in the scoring books the Huskies held a commanding 34-5 lead on the way to a 66-16 halftime lead.

UConn coach Geno Auriemma spoke to reporters about Paige Bueckers' performance, noting the team comes first:

"That's the way you have to play at Connecticut. Some nights it's about you and some nights it's not. What did we have, 29 assists on 40 baskets? That's pretty good."

Even with the pedestrian numbers, Paige Bueckers still managed to make history as she joined Diana Taurasi as the only two Lady Huskies who are ranked in the top 10 in both points and assists.