By: Destiny Hartwell
JACKSONVILLE, FL — Despite a roaring second-quarter rally and a spark from a high-profile newcomer, the Savannah Steel were unable to sustain momentum Wednesday evening, falling 70-58 to the Jacksonville Waves at VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena. The victory marked Jacksonville’s 10th win over Savannah this season.
The Steel sparked early offense as JJ Quinerly and Lasha Petree punched in opening baskets to grab a quick 4-0 edge. Jacksonville quickly responded through open-lane driving from Lindsey Pulliam, setting off a high-tempo, back-and-forth battle in the paint. Zee Spearman and Rennia Davis traded interior buckets to keep things tied 10-10 midway through the frame. The opening quarter also marked the UPSHOT League debut for former 2017 No. 2 overall WNBA draft pick Alaina Coates, who provided immediate frontcourt minutes for Savannah. Despite intense physical defense from the Steel, Jacksonville closed out the first frame ahead 19-14.
Jacksonville carried that rhythm directly into the second quarter, surging on a quick 11-0 run to open up a 28-14 lead. Facing a double-digit deficit, Savannah head coach Tocarra Ross called a strategic timeout to reset her squad. The stoppage completely shifted the game’s energy. Spearheaded by aggressive defensive pressure and transition play, the Steel mounted an impressive 17-0 run to snatch a 29-28 lead with under two minutes remaining in the half. Outscoring the Waves 19-11 in the frame, Savannah carried a 33-30 lead into the locker room.
The halftime break favored the hosts, however, as Jacksonville brought immense defensive intensity to the third quarter. Settling back into their offensive rhythm, the Waves orchestrated a decisive 23-8 period to blow past Savannah and open up a 53-41 lead.
Savannah fought back into striking distance in the fourth quarter, trimming the gap down to single digits behind a team-high 21 points from Quinerly. Spearman added 11 points and 9 rebounds, while Petree chipped in 10 points. However, Jacksonville’s balanced effort, led by Shyanne Sellers (15 points, 9 rebounds), Pulliam (13 points), and Davis (13 points), proved too much down the stretch. The Waves pushed the pace late, stretching the advantage back to 67-55 with under three minutes to play before closing out the 70-58 final.
For complete team and individual statistics from Friday night’s matchup, view the full game box score.
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 Steel will look to bounce back as they return home to begin their final stand of the season. Savannah will host the Charlotte Crown on Friday, August 21, with tipoff scheduled for 7:00 PM. 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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