CHARLOTTE, N.C. (WBTV) – Trisha Stafford-Odom said she saw a blank sheet of paper when sitting down before the Charlotte Crown began its inaugural season.
As she drew in her mind on that paper, at the bottom she always saw a championship.
Her team is one win away from realizing that goal.
“We’re where we want to be,” Stafford-Odom said. “The only thing better is to top it off and finish it the way we’ve visualized it.”
The Crown wrapped up their final practice Thursday in preparation of the first UPSHOT League championship game Saturday night.
Charlotte will face first-place Jacksonville in a winner-take-all title game on the road.
“Nobody visualizes losing, but we’ve worked to win,” Stafford-Odom said. “I’m overjoyed because we worked for it.”
The UPSHOT League’s inaugural season has been defined by opportunity.
Dozens of women have gotten an opportunity to show they can still play at a high level.
One of those women who made the most of that opportunity is Charlotte guard Deja Kelly, who led the league with 17.8 points and 4.1 assists per game.
“For us to be part of the first, that’s huge,” Kelly said. “We don’t take this opportunity for granted.”
After a 1-6 start to the year, the Crown found its rhythm in the second half of the season.
Charlotte ended the year winning 14 of its final 15 games, including a 105-73 win over Jacksonville on Aug. 2.
The Crown and the Waves will tip off the championship game Saturday, Aug. 29 at 7 p.m. in VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena in Jacksonville, Fla..
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