Steel Dominate Slumping Groove, 79-58
Published on June 27, 2026 under UPSHOT League (UPSHOT)
Savannah Steel News Release
The Savannah Steel extended their winning streak to three games on Saturday with a commanding 79-58 victory over the Greensboro Groove at Enmarket Arena. While the Steel continue to build momentum with a 3-0 run, the loss marks a difficult seventh consecutive defeat for the struggling Groove.
Paint Dominance and Bench Depth
Savannah capitalized heavily on its physical advantages, attacking the rim to outscore the Groove 42-32 in the paint. Steel forward Olivia Cochran, who finished with 15 points, credited the team's aggressive interior focus, noting that the post players executed well by ducking in and putting constant pressure on the rim. Savannah also dominated the glass, parlaying their size into a massive 20-3 advantage in second-chance points.
The Steel showcased their staggering roster depth as well, with their bench outscoring Greensboro's reserves 36-8. This continues a dominant trend for Savannah's second unit, which previously outscored opponents 54-19 and 52-9 in recent outings. Zee Spearman provided a massive spark off the bench against the Groove, scoring 13 points on a perfect 5-of-5 shooting performance from the field.
Guard Play and Defensive Gridlock
While the offense clicked, Savannah's perimeter defense set a physical tone. Guard Que Morrison anchored the glass, pulling down 11 total rebounds, including 10 on the defensive end, while adding a block and a steal. Morrison highlighted her defensive mindset, noting that she prides herself on disrupting opponents' decision-making to fuel Savannah's transition offense. Her efforts helped stifle a heavily fatigued Greensboro squad playing its third game in four days, and its eighth in 12 days.
"It's a lot of wear, you know, it's a lot of wear and tear, especially when you have players that are playing, you know, upwards of 26 and 30 minutes again," Greensboro head coach Janice Washington said of the schedule. "The schedule is grueling, but every player that's in this league knows that coming in."
Playing without star guard Diamond Johnson, the Groove relied heavily on Ny'Ceara Pryor, who played a grueling 39 minutes and grinded out 10 points. Coach Washington praised Pryor's resilience against Savannah's frontcourt.
"She is a high-quality, elite-level player," Washington said of Pryor. "She does a good job with managing even her size when they're trying to switch up on bigs. She's got the heart of a lion, and I think that'll continue to rub off, and her toughness will continue to rub up on this team as we move forward."
Despite identical 18-point performances from Greensboro's Jessica Timmons and Sahara Jones, the Groove lacked the fresh legs to keep pace over four quarters. The Groove struggled to put together consistent offensive frames, scoring 11, 11, 18, and 18 points respectively, and failing to cross the 20-point threshold in any single quarter.
"It's been a while since we've been able to score 20 points in 4 quarters," Washington noted. "And so that is putting us at a super disadvantage. We've got to do a better job depending right at the rim and defending that paint, especially coming out in the defensive transition."
Roster Unity Moving Forward
With Coach Brown locking in this specific 10-player rotation for the remainder of the season, the Steel's camaraderie is translating directly to the win column. Following a much-needed upcoming league break, Savannah will look to maintain its focus on limiting turnovers and controlling the glass.
As for the locker room message heading into the break, Coach Washington is focused inward before looking ahead to the rematch.
"Today we talked about us," Washington said. "We talked about us and the things that we have to do and the accountability measures that we have to have for ourselves. We have to be level-headed, and we also have to be able to play through runs. The goal is to make sure that we're able to sustain our runs longer and be able to limit the amount of time that they're going on runs."
The two teams will see plenty of each other soon, as they are scheduled to hit the hardwood again for a two-game series next weekend on Friday, July 3, and Sunday, July 5. Don't miss a second of the action! Secure your seats today by visiting the Savannah Steel website for single-game and season tickets, or call (912) 494-2868 for more information.
UPSHOT League Stories from June 27, 2026
- Steel Dominate Slumping Groove, 79-58 - Savannah Steel
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