By: Destiny Hartwell
SAVANNAH, Ga. — The energy inside the arena for the Savannah Steel’s inaugural UPSHOT League home opener was nothing short of electric. The pageantry of the night had the crowd roaring, and the Steel fed off every bit of it the second their sneakers hit the hardwood.
From the opening tip, Savannah looked like a unit that had been playing together for years. Their communication was sharp, and the ball was flying around the perimeter with crisp, purposeful passing. After a week of practice strictly dedicated to mastering the fundamentals—specifically free throws and crashing the glass—the preparation paid off immediately. The Steel controlled the tempo, ending the first quarter with a dominant statement.
By the second quarter, Savannah wasn’t just running their offense; they were zooming down the steel track. The Greensboro Groove, by contrast, completely lost its rhythm, plagued by costly miscues and sloppy miscommunication. The Steel capitalized on every mistake, outscoring the Groove 20-13 in the frame to blow the game open. And keep the 40-25 lead at the half.
The Groove Strikes Back, But Petree Answers
Greensboro refused to go down without a fight. They came out of the locker room with a renewed urgency, sparked by a quick bucket from Joyner. Moments later, the Groove’s Diamond Johnson finally found her rhythm, seeing the ball splash through the net and breathing life back into her squad.
But Savannah’s Lasha Petree refused to let the momentum shift. Leaving absolutely nothing to chance, Petree put on a shooting clinic from beyond the arc. She went a blistering 2-for-3 from deep, closing out the third quarter with an elite 3-for-4 mark from three-point territory.
Entering the final stretch, the Steel’s offensive execution was a masterclass in motion. Players were cutting hard without the ball, manipulating the Groove’s defense, and forcing easy switches that created mismatch nightmares.
Before Greensboro knew what hit them, Savannah had built a commanding 20-point cushion.
With the game on the brink, Turner took over. She put the team on her back offensively, dropping 9 clutch points in the fourth quarter alone to slam the door on any hopes of a Groove comeback.
Though Greensboro managed a late run to tighten the gap, Savannah’s aggressive, two-way play on both sides of the ball secured the historic result.
With the final buzzer, history was made. The Savannah Steel officially secured their first-ever victory of the UPSHOT League inaugural season, sending a loud message to the rest of the league.
The Savannah Steel will be back in action this Sunday, May 24, as they host the Jacksonville Waves for the first time in this inaugural season. Join the Steel beginning at 1 pm for Fan Fest with tip-off at 3 pm. For single-game or season tickets, visit the Savannah Steel website or call (912)494-2868 for more information or to purchase.
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