Savannah Steel Showcase Elite Potential in Thrilling Home Opening Weekend Split

Professional basketball is a game of incredibly fine margins, a reality the Savannah Steel learned in a thrilling battle on Sunday. After showing tremendous resilience to roar back from a slow start and build a 13-point second-half lead, the Steel just missed out on a perfect weekend, falling 78-75 to a surging Jacksonville Waves team. The hard-fought battle leaves Savannah with a highly respectable 1-1 split for their historic, inaugural home-opening weekend, while the Waves extended their winning streak to three games. While the final period proved tough, the weekend showcased the immense potential and grit of this new Savannah squad, giving head coach Coretta Brown a clear blueprint for the future. "This team has a really bad habit of just relaxing, you know, especially when we're up, and so we're trying to figure that out, whatever group is just gonna continue to be aggressive," Coach Brown noted, focusing on the growth ahead. "We preach all the time that the game's gonna go to the aggressor." Coming off a dynamic win over the Greensboro Groove the night before, Jacksonville carried plenty of momentum into the first quarter. Savannah struggled to get open looks to fall early on, but the team's trademark resilience kept them close, ending the opening frame trailing just 23-19. The middle quarters belonged entirely to the Steel, who put on a clinic in team basketball. Savannah's bench was absolutely spectacular, completely outclassing the Waves' reserves by a staggering 35-11 margin. Behind that elite depth, the Steel locked down defensively and found an explosive rhythm, winning the second quarter 24-16 and the third 25-22. By late in the third quarter, Savannah had engineered a brilliant 13-point turnaround, ultimately heading into the final period with a confident 68-61 lead. The Waves showed their veteran poise in the fourth, mounting an aggressive push to open the quarter on a 7-2 run and cutting the score to a one-possession game with 5:59 left to play. Savannah answered like champions. Lasha Petree (6'0''-G, college: Purdue, agency: DITR) drilled a clutch three-pointer and Megan McConnell (5'7''-G-2001, college: Duquesne) showcased her signature toughness with a gritty drive to the rim, fueling a swift 5-0 run to put the Steel back in control. Jacksonville's late-game pressure managed to force a few unforced turnovers, allowing them to cash in on second-chance points. A critical steal and clutch free throws by Jacksonville's Shyanne Sellers (6'2''-G-2003, college: Maryland) brought the Waves within one, and the visitors managed to edge ahead in the final minutes. Even with the offense going cold in the final two minutes, the Steel fought until the very last buzzer. With just seven seconds remaining, McConnell created enough space to heave up a potential game-tying three-pointer, but the shot narrowly missed its mark, sealing a narrow 78-75 victory for Jacksonville. While the final score wasn't the victory they wanted, the Steel proved they can run with the best teams in the league. Coach Brown emphasized that the areas needing improvement, such as finishing at the charity stripe and converting uncontested layups, are easily correctable details. "With us being pros, we can't leave 8 points at the free throw line. That's free," Brown said, emphasizing efficiency. "We have to be more efficient in those two areas." Perhaps the biggest victory of the weekend was the incredible bond forged between the team and its community. The Hostess City turned out in numbers to pack the arena, creating a vibrant, high-energy environment that promises to make Savannah one of the toughest road trips in the league. "Oh, man, I felt amazing. This city is amazing," Brown said, full of gratitude for the fans. "The love from the city and to the players, it's amazing. And, you know, obviously, we want to win for them. We need the players to show up and continue to give this city something to be proud of."
Courtesy of: oursportscentral.com