USA Basketball revealed their nominees for the 2024 USA Basketball 3×3 Female Athlete of the Year on Saturday. The list included Cotie McMahon, Sarah Strong, Harmoni Turner and Hailey Van Lith. However, Fans were left confused and angry as South Carolina’s Sania Feagin’s name was missing from the list.
Feagin won the 3×3 MVP but was absent from the list, leading fans to voice their disappointment online.
“Leaving out an MVP is crazy work!” one fan said.
“So the MVP couldn’t be nominated or something?” another fan said.
“No Sania??? The literal 3×3 MVP?????” one fan said.
Fans continued to voice their frustration online:
“Not to be that guy, but I truly don’t understand how Feagin wasn’ nominated but two of her teammates were yet Feagin was the one who actually won MVP,” another fan said.
“Sania ??? Rhyne ???” another fan said.
“Sania Feagin was the 3×3 MVP. How does this happen?” one fan said.
South Carolina’s Sania Feagin led Team USA to 3×3 Gold at U23 World Cup
South Carolina women’s basketball senior Sania Feagin helped lead Team USA to gold at the 2024 FIBA 3×3 U23 World Cup in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia back in September. Feagin, a forward for the Gamecocks, was the tournament’s leading scorer with 44 points in seven games, earning her the MVP award.
In the quarterfinals, they beat France 21-11 in under eight minutes, with Feagin contributing six points, including three free throws as the French struggled to stop her inside. In the semifinals against China, the U.S. battled through the full 10 minutes to secure a 19-10 win. Feagin scored four of the final six points to seal their spot in the gold medal game.
In the final, the Netherlands overcame a 4-2 U.S. lead with an 8-2 run, taking a 10-6 advantage halfway through the game. Feagin helped tie the game with a basket during a 4-0 run and scored half of the team’s points during the push.
The teams exchanged points until the U.S. broke ahead with strong outside shooting, scoring five straight points. Feagin added an inside bucket to make it 16-12, a lead the Netherlands couldn’t catch.
The South Carolina Gamecock finished with five points in the 18-15 victory, bringing Team USA its first gold in this event since it began in 2019.
