JACKSONVILLE, FL – In their final home game of the regular season, the Jacksonville Waves (24-8) held off a late fourth-quarter push by the Savannah Steel (8-23) to secure a 70-58 victory at Campione Law Court at VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena on Wednesday night.
First Quarter: Savannah started hot, heading out to a 6-2 lead early. However, the Waves clawed back to a 10-10 tie midway through the quarter. Jacksonville began to pull away late in the first thanks in part to a long three-point shot by Madison Griggs to put some distance between the Waves and the Steel. By the time the quarter ended, Jacksonville enjoyed a 19-14 lead.
Second Quarter: Ariel Hearn opened the second quarter with a corner three as the Waves went on a 9-0 run to the media timeout. Savannah responded with an 11-0 run of their own, aided by a couple of key threes and defensive steals, to trim Jacksonville’s lead to just 28-27. By the end of the half, Savannah led the Waves 33-30, outscoring Jacksonville 19-11 in the quarter. Ja’Naiya Quinerly led the way for the Steel with 10 first-half points while Hearn had eight first-half points for the Waves. As a team, Savannah recorded five steals in the first half and forced 11 turnovers. Jacksonville had four steals while forcing seven turnovers.
Third Quarter: After almost two and a half minutes without a bucket for either side to start the third, Shyanne Sellers was able to level the game at 33 points apiece thanks to a made first free throw and a rebound put-back on the second. Thanks to the spark by Sellers, the Waves took a 10-2 run into the first media timeout of the half, enjoying a 40-35 lead. Jacksonville kept up the momentum with a 9-1 run out of the timeout. The Waves outscored the Steel 23-8 in the quarter to lead 53-41.
Fourth Quarter: Enjoying a 12-point lead entering the fourth quarter, the Waves saw their lead trimmed to just five points as the Steel made three key shots from behind the arc to keep them in the contest. But Jacksonville kept Savannah at bay and held off their late push to secure their 13th home victory. Sellers finished with 15 points for the Waves while teamates Lindsey Pulliam and Rennia Davis each had 13 points.
The win counts as Jacksonville’s 24th of the season, clinching them the top spot in the league standings. The Waves will end their inaugural campaign with a 13-4 regular season home record as well, the most of any team. Jacksonville will hit the road to close out the season this weekend on August 22 and 23 against Savannah before coming back to VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena to take part in the first-ever UPSHOT League Championship Game against the Charlotte Crown on Saturday, August 29 at 7:00 pm.
About the Jacksonville Waves
The Jacksonville Waves are a professional women’s basketball team based in Jacksonville, Florida, and is a founding member of the new UPSHOT League which began play this May. The franchise’s identity—is inspired by Jacksonville’s coastal geography and the historic legacy of the WAVES (Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service) at Naval Air Station Jacksonville.
The Jacksonville Waves are committed to providing a professional platform for elite athletes while fostering a fun family environment and enjoyable game day experience. The Waves play their home games at Vystar Veterans Memorial Arena. For ticket packages and information call 904-602-7825, or visit www.wavesupshot.com
About the UPSHOT League
The UPSHOT League is a premier women’s professional basketball league headquartered in Jacksonville, Florida. Owned and operated by Zawyer Sports & Entertainment, the league is built on four core pillars—UPlift, UPward, UPend, and UProar—aiming to create meaningful pathways for athletes and strengthen the communities they serve. The league’s “Founding Four” teams include the Jacksonville Waves, Savannah Steel, Charlotte Crown and Greensboro Groove. The Cities of Baltimore and Nashville are expected to start in 2027.
Photo: Gary McCullough