Groove Outlast Steel 107-105 in Double-Overtime Thriller
UPSHOT Savannah Steel

Groove Outlast Steel 107-105 in Double-Overtime Thriller

Published on May 16, 2026 under UPSHOT League (UPSHOT)
Savannah Steel News Release


Playing less than 24 hours after opening night of the UPSHOT League, the Savannah Steel and Greensboro Groove battled through a grueling double-overtime thriller that ultimately saw the Groove edge out a 107-105 victory.

Savannah's starting five consisted of Iyana Moore, Harmoni Turner, Que Morrison, Olivia Cochran, and Zee Spearman. However, it was the bench production that carried the Steels' offensive workload, spearheaded by Lasha Petree and Megan McConnell, who finished as the team's leading scorers.

First Half: Steels Set the Pace

Savannah established early control in the first quarter, jumping out to a 24-14 advantage. Harmoni Turner anchored the early defense with multiple defensive boards and knocked down an early triple. The bench unit provided an immediate spark; Petree converted a steal into a quick bucket and later hit a three off a Turner assist, while McConnell stabilized the glass. A defensive three-second technical free throw by Petree closed out a strong opening frame for the Steels.

Greensboro responded in the second frame, outscoring the Steels 25-20 to cut into the deficit before halftime. Cochran provided a physical presence in the paint for Savannah, converting a tough and-1 basket. Despite a series of whistles, including a technical foul on Cochran and a defensive three-second call on Spearman, Savannah maintained the lead. McConnell pushed the pace coast-to-coast to draw a foul and hit both free throws, helping the Steel hold onto a 44-39 lead at the break.

Second Half: Greensboro Rallies

The teams traded punches evenly through the third quarter, finishing the period in a 20-20 deadlock to bring the overall score to 64-59. The frame had opened with a sluggish start for Savannah, as a quick succession of turnovers and a travel allowed the Groove to open on an 8-0 run, taking a brief 47-44 lead. Morrison snapped the drought with a bucket, and Cochran shifted momentum back with an and-1 opportunity. Ariel Colņn scored her first points of the game on a putback off an offensive rebound, and Sydney Shaw found Cochran for a late bucket to keep the Steel ahead going into the final frame of regulation.

In the fourth, the Groove mounted a fierce comeback by outscoring Savannah 25-20 to force extra time. Greensboro's run was punctuated by a long three-pointer from Diamond Johnson-who had scored 30 points the previous night-to give the Groove a late 76-66 lead. Savannah answered in the final minutes as McConnell executed a shifty drive to the rim for an and-1, and Petree followed with a steal and layup. Down by three late, Spearman found Petree for a clutch game-tying triple to make it 84-84 with 39.4 seconds left. Spearman then helped trap Johnson into a double-dribble turnover, giving Savannah the final shot, but the execution fell short as regulation ended tied.

Overtime and Double Overtime

The battle remained completely even through the first overtime period as both squads traded 9 points apiece to tie it at 93-93. McConnell hit a drive as the shot clock expired, and Turner converted a reverse layup to build a three-point lead. Greensboro's Kristin Williams hit a clutch three-pointer with 20.6 seconds left to give the Groove a 92-91 edge. On Savannah's final possession, Petree's initial attempt was blocked, but Cochran tracked down the loose ball and scored a layup with 0.8 seconds remaining to force a second extra period.

Greensboro ultimately secured the victory by outscoring Savannah 14-12 in the second overtime. Morrison found McConnell for an early three to put Savannah up 96-93, and the Steels hit the 100-point milestone on another McConnell drive and layup. However, Greensboro found the answers late. Johnson banked in a deep three, and Sahara Jones followed with a wide-open triple to make it 104-100.

Lauryn Taylor cut the deficit to two with a layup, and after an off-ball foul, Petree hit two free throws to bring Savannah within two at 105-103. A missed layup by Savannah turned into a fast-break bucket for Greensboro, pushing their lead to 107-103 with ten seconds left. Petree drove for a quick layup to make it 107-105 on the other end, but without a whistle on the ensuing inbound for a foul to stop the clock, the Groove were able to run out the remaining clock to seal the two-point win.

Up Next

The Savannah Steel will have some time to regroup after opening weekend and try to get their first win of the season as they prepare to face off against the Greensboro Groove for a third time on Friday, May 22nd for their UPSHOT League home opener in Savannah at Enmarket Arena. That game will be tipping off at 7:00 PM.

Share: Facebook | Twitter/X | LinkedIn | Reddit | Email



UPSHOT League Stories from May 16, 2026


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

OurSports Central