The Guru’s UPSHOT League Report: Jacksonville Three-Game Sweep at Savannah Builds Six-Game Lead

 By Mel Greenberg @womhoopsgurux

In some places, Jacksonville being headquarters for the new four-team UPSHOT League and the local Wave running away in the standings may be the makings of conspiracy discussion.

But considering the way the league has scheduled for convenience, teams playing each other a bunch of games in a row still make it a challenge if one adheres to the old adage of being difficult to beat the same team in a number of times consecutively, especially in a short amount of time.

“Obviously, it’s never easy to see, let alone beat a team three straight times,” Waves coach and Philly native Jess Bogia said Sunday after Jacksonville completed a winning trio that began Wednesday

“I’m incredibly proud of this group for the way they responded and how mentally locked in they were from start to finish,” she said being new along with the three other coaches of dealing with that kind of scheduling.

“Our motto this weekend was: ‘Protect the standard. Trust the habits. Earn the right’ – and I think we did just that.”

Indeed, they did, winning all on the road in Savannah, beating the Steel 88-84 Wednesday, 76-58 on Friday, and concluding 69-57 on Sunday to balloon at the top at 15-4, six games over the Charlotte Crown (9-10), which is followed by the Greensboro Groove (8-12) and the Georgians (7-13).

Charlotte and Greensboro played a pair in North Carolina the Crown winning Friday 82-72 in Greensboro and then dropping the second road stop at the Groove Saturday 80-75.

In the Jacksonville trio of wins, in Wednesday’s game, the visitors after a close contest for three quarters exploded 31-16 in the final period.

The Wave surged on the boards with a 51-32 advantage.

Shyanne Sellers was 6-for-10 from the field, scoring 23 points boostered by a perfect 8-for-8 from the line while Rennia Davis and Adut Bulgak each scored 16 points, the latter also grabbing 10 boards. Ariel Hearn was also in double figures, scoring 11 points.

The Steel’s Oliva Cochran scored 20, Iyana Moore scored 19, and Dyaisha Fair scored 14.

On Friday, the Wave dominated the first three quarters with Sellers scoring 14, Davis getting a double double with 12 points and 11 boards and Jasmine Walker scoring 11.

Savannah’s Ndjakkalenga Mwenentanda scored 17, followed by Zee Spearman with 12 points and Lauryn Taylor with 11 points.

Finally, in Sunday’s game, Savannah’s 21-9 second period got the Steel to a 30-23 lead at the half, but Jacksonville had another explosive fourth quarter, this time 27-12, as Hearn finished with 20, Seller had 11, and Davis just missed a double double with nine points and 10 boards.

The Steel’s Quanniecia “Que” Morrison scored 17 and Spearman had 13 points.

In the games in North Carolina, Charlotte’s Deja Kelly led the way with 19 points in the Crown win, Reigan Richardson scored 17, and A.D., formerly known as Asia Dunn, scored 15 in the Friday win, while the Groove’s Jessica Timmons scored 15 points, Diamond Johnson scored 14, Sahara Jones scored 13, and Kayla Jones scored 10.

On Saturday, Greensboro gained a split striking back as Christeen Iwuala scored 20, shooting 9-for-14 from the field, Shara Jones had 18 points and Kayla Jones scored 12.

Kelly scored 18 for Charlotte, A.D. had 13, and Ugonne (Michelle) Oniyah scored 12.

Next up Charlotte is at Greensboro on Thursday at noon, while Jacksonville hosts Savannah Friday at 7 p.m., the same night Charlotte on a back-to-back retuns to Greensboro, also at 7 p.m.

All games are available on the league’s YouTube channel for free.

Next season Baltimore and Nashville come on line.