By Destiny Hartwell
CHARLOTTE, NC — It was a tough day at the office for the Savannah Steel as they suffered an 85-73 loss to the Charlotte Crown at Bojangles Coliseum on Wednesday night. The loss marks Savannah’s 11th consecutive setback as the team continues to find its groove following recent roster adjustments. With the victory, Charlotte extended their winning streak to eight games and officially clinched the final spot in the UPSHOT League Inaugural Championship Game on August 29, where they will face the Jacksonville Waves.
Charlotte took control from the opening tip and never trailed across 40 minutes of action. League-leading scorer Deja Kelly paced the Crown with 17 points and 9 rebounds, while Reigan Richardson added 16 points behind an 11-for-12 mark from the free-throw line. Free-throw shooting proved critical throughout the evening, as Charlotte converted 82 percent of their attempts (27 for 33) compared to 15 for 23 shooting from Savannah. KK Deans also contributed 14 points for the hosts.
Careless ball handling plagued the Steel throughout the contest, resulting in 23 turnovers that Charlotte converted into 19 points. Despite the struggles, Savannah found several positive takeaways on the floor. Newcomer JJ Quinerly delivered a strong performance in her UPSHOT League debut, recording 13 points and 2 assists. NaJai Pollard posted a season-high 16 points on 7 of 9 shooting, and Lasha Petree led all Steel scorers with 19 points.
For complete team and individual statistics from this matchup, view the full game box score here.
The season is far from over as the Steel continue searching for their first win since early July. Savannah gets another shot at Charlotte very soon, with a quick turnaround against the Crown on Saturday, August 8, at 4:00 PM.
Don’t Miss the Action at Enmarket Arena! If you haven’t made your way to Enmarket Arena yet, don’t miss your chance before the inaugural season wraps up! The Savannah Steel finish their regular season at home with a three-game homestand from August 21 to 23. Single-game and season ticket packages can be purchased online at the official Savannah Steel website or by calling (912) 494-2868.
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