The Charlotte Crown erased much of an early deficit but couldn’t complete the comeback Wednesday afternoon, falling 67-59 to the Jacksonville Waves at Bojangles Coliseum.
Charlotte struggled offensively out of the gate, shooting just 3-for-22 in the first quarter as Jacksonville built a 19-7 lead. The Waves pushed the advantage to 18 points in the second quarter before the Crown responded with a 12-3 run to cut the deficit to 34-25 at halftime.
Making her Crown debut, Schaquilla Nunn provided a spark with her energy and strong presence as Charlotte battled back throughout the second half. Nunn got her first basket in the third quarter and followed it up with back-to-back and-one plays, helping fuel a 7-0 Crown run. Head Coach Trisha Stafford-Odom said Nunn made an immediate impact.
“Schaquilla Nunn is a blessing to us,” Odom said. “She is totally focused on the present and what we need to do in the current moment to change the momentum and tempo. In her first game playing with us, I thought she was phenomenal.”
Michelle Onyiah helped fuel the comeback effort with her work on the offensive glass, while Deja Kelly kept attacking the basket and getting to the free-throw line after knocking down Charlotte’s first three pointer of the game. Onyiah has been a key contributor since joining the Crown midway through the season and currently leads the league in rebounding with 9.5 a game.
“Toward the end of the season, I really want to continue being a better rebounder and also find my shooters in better spots,” Onyiah said. “I like Nunn a lot. She pushes me so hard and has a really good touch around the rim.”
The Crown continued to chip away in the fourth quarter, getting key minutes from Chloe Welch, who scored 10 points off the bench. Welch’s and-one basket brought Charlotte within four points, but Jacksonville held on down the stretch to secure the 67-59 victory.
Kelly led Charlotte with 14 points, while Onyiah added eight points and eight rebounds. Despite the loss, Odom believes the team will continue to improve as new pieces are integrated into the lineup and players settle into their roles.
“As you continue to change personnel and roles, it’s going to be about chemistry,” Odom said. “Now I see I need to put pieces in different places, and once that continues to happen, I guarantee you’ll see a better product.”
Charlotte returns to action Saturday, June 6, when it hosts the Savannah Steel at Bojangles Coliseum. Tip-off is scheduled for 4 p.m.
Story written by Nick Bailey