By: Destiny Hartwell
SAVANNAH, GA – The Savannah Steel proved their unyielding grit on the hardwood, turning what looked like an insurmountable deficit into an instant classic before falling 101-98 in overtime to the Charlotte Crown. Savannah spent three quarters searching for rhythm, trailing by as much as 19 points in the fourth quarter as Charlotte controlled the tempo. That dynamic shifted when Charlotte Crown head coach Trisha Stafford-Odom opted to pull her starting lineup to rest them with a comfortable lead intact. The Steel roster clearly took offense to the premature move, using the apparent slight as immediate motivation to spark a furious final period rally.
Ignited by the tactical substitution, Savannah mounted an astonishing 19-0 scoring run over a three-minute span late in the fourth quarter to shock the Crown bench. Driving the charge was guard JJ Quinerly, who put on a clinic with a game-high 32 points, six assists, and three steals. Quinerly not only caught fire from deep, shooting 7-for-11 from three-point territory, but also delivered infectious leadership by aggressively encouraging her teammates to take more shots. Her relentless attack forced Coach Stafford-Odom to re-insert her starters, but Savannah’s momentum was already rolling as Ja’Leah Williams hit a clutch shot late in the period to help storm all the way back to tie the game at 96-96 with 1:41 remaining in regulation.
The defensive anchor during this electric surge was Kyah Watson, who continuously put her body on the line to dive for loose balls and force key turnover opportunities. Watson’s relentless hustle and physical stops served as the exact catalyst for the Steel’s offensive drive. Savannah outscored Charlotte 28-18 in the fourth frame on the back of sharp 62.5% shooting from beyond the arc. Frontcourt support came from Lauryn Taylor and Zee Spearman, who chipped in 19 and 16 points respectively while battling on the glass.
Despite the monumental surge to force extra time, the physical toll of the comeback caught up to the Steel in overtime, where cold shooting hit as Savannah went just 1-for-11 from the field in the final five minutes. KK Deans ultimately put the game on ice for the Crown, burying a clutch three-pointer in the extra period to halt Savannah’s momentum. Deja Kelly led Charlotte with 20 points overall, helping the Crown navigate the late-game drama to pull out the narrow victory.
Looking ahead, Savannah will remain at home to finish out their inaugural season, opening a back-to-back slate against the Jacksonville Waves. The Steel are still searching for their first victory of the year against Jacksonville, but head coach Tocarra Ross remains optimistic after tonight’s performance. Ross is hopeful that the same tough, resilient squad that pushed Charlotte to the limit will bring that same intensity against the regular-season champion Waves, with tip-off set for 4:00 PM.
Don’t Miss the Action at Enmarket Arena! If you haven’t made your way to yet, don’t miss your chance before the inaugural season wraps up! 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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