Sarah Strong was only a few months removed from winning a national championship when reality hit her during the 2025 FIBA 3×3 World Cup.

The U.S. had been cooking its opponents all tournament. Twelfth-ranked Mongolia in the quarterfinals wasn’t supposed to stand a chance against the U.S., the clear favorite.

But roughly 23 minutes later, Strong and her teammates converged into a huddle, stunned by what had just happened. The U.S. let its guard down, underestimated its opponent and paid the ultimate price, falling 18-15.

The FIBA stream broadcaster on YouTube called it the “biggest upset in Mongolian sports history.”

“I hate they lost 3×3,” Strong’s mother, Allison Feaster, told The Post last week. “But it’s also … losing and coming up short are powerful teaching moments.”

That defeat

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