Feagin Adds Another International Gold to Gamecock Summer

DEBRECEN, Hungary – South Carolina women’s basketball freshman Sania Feagin helped the U.S. bring home gold at the FIBA U19 World Cup with a 70-52 victory over Australia in the championship game Sunday at the Hodos Imre Sports Hall in Debrecen, Hungary. The win marked the eighth FIBA U19 World Cup gold for the Americans in the last nine times the tournament was played.
 
In seven games of the tournament, Feagin averaged 5.6 points on 44.4 percent shooting and pulled down 5.0 rebounds per game. She played her best on the boards when the tournament hit the elimination rounds, grabbing nine against Chinese Taipei, six against Spain in the quarterfinals and her tournament-high 11 in the semifinal against Hungary. Feagin added 14 points in just 14 minutes in the win over Chinese Taipei.
 
The Americans were strong throughout the tournament, winning with high scoring and smothering defense. The gold medal game was no different, shooting 51 percent from the field while holding Australia to just 10 points in the decisive third quarter. The two teams played close in the first half with the U.S. taking an eight-point lead into the break. An 11-0 run opened the second half, and the Americans never looked back.
 
Feagin’s medal makes her the sixth current or former Gamecock to claim a gold medal this summer. Head coach Dawn Staley led the U.S. to gold in the FIBA AmeriCup and the Olympics. Current Gamecocks Aliyah Boston and Destanni Henderson were part of the AmeriCup team, while alumna A’ja Wilson was part of the Olympic team. Gamecock alumna Allisha Gray also won Olympic gold, claiming the medal in the debut of 3×3 basketball at the Olympics.