By: Destiny Hartwell
SAVANNAH, G.A. — The week began on Wednesday night as the Savannah Steel suffered an 85-73 defeat against the Charlotte Crown at Bojangles Coliseum. Careless ball handling plagued Savannah throughout the contest, resulting in 23 turnovers that Charlotte converted into 19 points while leading from wire to wire. Despite the outcome, Lasha Petree led all Steel scorers with 21 points, NaJai Pollard posted a season-high 16 points on 7 of 9 shooting, and newcomer JJ Quinerly contributed 13 points in her UPSHOT League debut.
Savannah returned to action on Saturday afternoon, putting up a spirited fight before falling 81-72 to the Crown. The Steel set an early physical tone with strong rebounding from newcomer Kyah Watson and hot perimeter shooting from Cori Lard, Lasha Petree, and NaJai Pollard. After taking a 47-42 third-quarter lead behind Lauryn Taylor’s dirty work inside, Savannah held firm into the final frame. However, Charlotte’s sizzling 65% shooting performance in the fourth quarter proved too much to overcome, despite a relentless 22-point performance from JJ Quinerly.
In Sunday’s series finale, the Steel pushed Charlotte to the absolute limit in an 88-83 thriller. Savannah jumped out to an early ten-point advantage behind dynamic play from JJ Quinerly before Charlotte rallied to tie the game at 48 by halftime. The Steel retook an 80-79 lead with under three minutes remaining, anchored by Quinerly’s game-high 30-point performance on 12-of-19 shooting. Late clutch free throws from Charlotte’s Deja Kelly ultimately sealed the game, dropping Savannah to 7-21 overall on the season.
Upcoming Matchup: Savannah Steel vs. Greensboro Groove
Looking ahead, the Steel will travel to face the Greensboro Groove on Friday, August 14, and Saturday, August 15. With only six games remaining in this inaugural UPSHOT League regular season for the Steel, this two-game set marks the final time these two franchise rivals will face each other on the court. Savannah and Greensboro have battled evenly so far this season, splitting their eight previous head-to-head meetings with a 4-4 record against one another. The Steel currently sit at 7-21 overall as they search to snap their recent losing streak, while the Groove look to defend their home floor down the stretch.
Keys to the Matchup for the Steel
- Protect the Basketball: Limit unforced errors and careless turnovers that allow opponent transition points.
- Control the Glass: Replicate the aggressive offensive rebounding effort seen earlier in the week to manufacture extra possessions.
- Execute Late in the Fourth Quarter: Maintain defensive composure and execute cleanly during tight crunch-time possessions down the stretch.
- Support Quinerly’s Scoring: Provide balanced scoring from the perimeter and bench to complement JJ Quinerly’s high-volume offensive rhythm.
Ticket Information
Fans looking to follow the action can catch every Savannah Steel game live on UPSHOT TV or experience it in person at Enmarket Arena. Single-game and season tickets for all future home games can be purchased directly on the official Savannah Steel Website. To lock in your seats, secure special group packaging, or get details about theme night promotions, call the front office directly at (912) 494-2868.
– STEEL –