Black Athletes in the Spotlight: HBCU Sports & Local Highlights
- Savannah Steel persevered through injuries, roster turnover, and a midseason coaching change, with Lasha Petree noting the team's intact identity.
- Toccara Ross took over as head coach, prioritizing player development and preparing several players for opportunities in Europe.
- Players aim to showcase what the franchise can become, give back to Savannah, and finish the season with momentum and pride.
Savannah Steel look to finish inaugural season strong with 3-game homestand
The Savannah Steel are closing out their inaugural season with three games in three days — and building toward what’s next
SAVANNAH, Ga. —
“Unbreakable. Unstoppable. Unshakable.”
Those words have taken on a new meaning for the Savannah Steel after a turbulent inaugural season.
The Steel have dealt with injuries, roster turnover, and a midseason coaching change, but guard Lasha Petree said the team’s identity has remained intact.
“It was a bumpy ride, not the smoothest, you know, but as expected with the first year in the league,” Petree said. “But I think that through and through, our identity never got lost, and we found strength in each other.”
The coaching change came when Coretta Brown stepped down, with Toccara Ross stepping up to provide stability. Ross has since taken over as the Steel’s head coach.
With the inaugural season winding down, Ross said the focus remains on helping the players improve — both for the Steel and for what’s next in their careers.
“We’re keeping the main thing the main thing. How can we get better? How can we prepare for Europe?” Ross said.
Several Steel players are expected to leave for overseas opportunities in the coming weeks, making the final stretch of the season another opportunity for growth.
Ross said the team is focused on teaching players the game while helping them become stronger mentally and emotionally for the challenges ahead.
Now, the Steel are set for a grueling finish to their inaugural season, playing three games in three days at Enmarket Arena.
Savannah hosts the Charlotte Crown at 7 p.m. Friday before facing the Jacksonville Waves at 4 p.m. Saturday and again at 4 p.m. Sunday.
The final three games are about more than wins and losses. The players also want to give Savannah a glimpse of what the franchise can become.
“This is still the land of opportunity,” Steel forward Lauryn Taylor said. “We all get to come and play basketball, to have fun doing that. So we all just show up for ourselves, but also for the team and for the community.”
Taylor said the team appreciates the support it has received from Savannah throughout its first season.
“Savannah is a great place to be, so we don’t want to let our fans and everybody else down,” Taylor said. “So we just show up every day doing what we can.”
With three games remaining, the Steel are hoping to close their inaugural season with a strong finish — and build momentum for what comes next.
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