RESERVE — It’s never good for a team to look ahead to games on the schedule. That’s why coaches love to say they’re playing them “one game at a time.”

Sometimes, they just can’t help themselves, though.

The East St. John Lady Wildcats might get caught looking ahead next week. As they sit in second place in the District 7-5A basketball standings, the Wildcats have only one loss mars marring their district record — Destrehan.

Those Wildcats will come to Reserve on Friday.

The first meeting of the Wildcats took place Jan. 12 in Destrehan, a game East St. John coach Stasha Thomas-James said was over almost before it started. Destrehan swept through the first round of district play undefeated and is ranked No. 8 in the state by MaxPreps. It also boasts 2015’s Gatorade Player of the Year Cara Ursin, a 5-foot-7 junior guard.

“We got off the bus intimidated,” Thomas-James said. “I think we got so caught up in who we were playing.”

Certainly Thomas-James is getting her team refocused for the next meeting.

While waiting, however, the Wildcats opened the second round of district play with a 73-22 victory Tuesday over Central Lafourche.

Selena James led the scoring with 20 points. Taylor Lipps scored 14, NaKendra Wilson scored 11 and Meah Monroe added 10. The team hit eight 3-pointers in the win.

Next, the Wildcats will have to get past Thibodaux on Tuesday.

West St. John and Riverside

The first meeting of the St. John’s cross-river rivals in District 12-2A went the way of the Lady Rams Tuesday night with West St. John taking a 49-28 win.

“It was a good one,” Coach Lester Smith said.

“We played really well.”

Maya Trench led the scoring with 24 points. Jaquana Hunter scored 12 points, had 17 rebounds and five steals.

While undefeated through the first round of district play, the Lady Rams (14-7, 4-0) have suffered a loss, however. Lekendra Lewis suffered a knee injury last week against St. Charles and is out indefinitely.

That’s not all bad, however, Smith said.

“We have some young kids who have to step up,” he said. “Stevante Hamilton and Nazal Breaux scored 13 points together. We’re still trying to get better.”

St. Charles Catholic

The St. Charles Catholic Lady Comets fell just short of Country Day on Thursday, 35-32.

With just seconds remaining, St. Charles trailed 33-30 when Country Day sank a pair of free throws to make it 35-30. The Comets’ Jori Bryant was fouled and hit two free throws to cut the lead back to 35-32.

Pylar Zeringue then sent up a desperation buzzer-beater attempt, but it fell short.

Caroline Julian led the scoring with 13 points. Lela Hill scored 10. Madeline Murphy and Bryant also contributed.

The loss dropped the Comets to 15-10, 2-3.

“The girls played hard, and we did some good things,” Comets coach Kim Nunez said. “Luck just wasn’t on our side in the fourth quarter. Our two games against Country Day have been close, and I am not going to say I am satisfied with a series split, but I will take it over a series sweep any day.”

St. Charles won the first meeting 31-30 on Jan. 12.