By Destiny Hartwell
Steel Battle Hard But Drop Back-to-Back Road Games in Jacksonville
The Savannah Steel showed immense grit and resolve on the road this past week, despite dropping a pair of back-to-back contests to the Jacksonville Waves. On Thursday night, the Steel overcame a sluggish start and a 26-point deficit to temporarily take a fourth-quarter lead behind heavy scoring from Lasha Petree, Noodey Jenkins, and Iyana Moore, ultimately falling just short in an 84-75 loss. Looking for redemption on Friday, Savannah brought explosive offensive energy right from the opening tip, highlighted by a seamless roster debut from newcomer Jak Mwenentanda and a dominant effort on the offensive glass. While the Steel dramatically cleaned up their execution in the second half, surrendering just three turnovers after the break, a few costly miscues allowed the Waves to secure an 86-75 victory, keeping Savannah hungry for a breakthrough.
Home Cookin’ Not Enough to Shake Slump Against Charlotte
Returning home to Enmarket Arena on Sunday for the first time in three weeks, the Steel looked to break their slide against the Charlotte Crown. Savannah came out swinging, riding an explosive 15-point run in the first quarter to carry an early lead into the second frame. The story of the afternoon was the absolute dominance of the Steel bench, which outscored Charlotte’s reserves 54-19, powered by a team-high 17 points from Lasha Petree and 11 points from Zee Spearman. Dyaisha Fair kept the offense moving with a game-high eight assists, helping Savannah outscore the Crown 44-32 in the paint. However, Charlotte’s relentless parade to the free-throw line proved to be the ultimate difference maker, as the Crown knocked down 31 of 40 free throws to hand the Steel an 82-72 loss. The defeat marks Savannah’s fifth straight setback as they continue to search for momentum.
Crucial Homestand Awaits: Previewing the Greensboro Groove
The road to recovery stays right in Savannah as the Steel prepare to host the Greensboro Groove for a pivotal five-game series starting this week on June 24 with tipoff at 12 PM, June 26 at 7 PM, and June 27at 4 PM. This marks the first time these two teams have faced off since May 22, and the Steel will be looking to alter the narrative against an opponent they currently hold a 1-2 record against this season.
There is plenty of reason for optimism: Savannah historically plays much better in front of the home crowd, sporting a solid 3-2 record at Enmarket Arena so far this year. With this series kicking off a crucial stretch of eight consecutive home games, the Steel have a golden opportunity to flip the script on their recent stretch, secure their first victory in three weeks, and get right back into the win column.
The action begins on Wednesday, June 24, with a special noon tip-off at Enmarket Arena. The Game Day Themes for those games are: Camp Day (Wednesday, June 24), Military Day (Friday, June 26), and First Responders Day (Saturday, June 27). For single-game or season tickets, visit the Savannah Steel website or call (912) 494-2868 for more information or to purchase.
– STEEL –