{1/25/03}A wave of deja vu spread through the Warren Central gym Saturday morning. Unfortunately for St. Aloysius, it was a tidal wave.

For the second straight day, St. Al squandered a late lead with a rash of turnovers and lost 33-30 to Wesson at the Red Carpet Classic.

“I hate that it’s a repeat,” St. Al coach Paul Hayden said, adding the reason for the collapse was “Mistakes. Plain and simple.”

The Lady Flashes led late against Forest, La., on Friday before four turnovers in the final minute led to a 31-30 loss. Less than 18 hours later, the same story unfolded before their horrified eyes.

St. Al led 30-26 with about 2 minutes to play, but instead of forcing Wesson to foul, the Lady Flashes tried to push the ball up the floor and paid dearly.

Three St. Al turnovers in the final 1:20 allowed Wesson to stay in the game, and several clutch shots put them on top.

Christy Watson hit a 3-pointer with just over a minute to play to cut it to 30-29, then was fouled on another 3-point attempt with 41.6 seconds remaining.

She hit only one of three free throws to tie the game, but Hayley Carr put Wesson ahead 33-30 with a 3-point play with 20.8 seconds remaining.

St. Al had one last chance. After an attempt to drive for a layup was thwarted, the Lady Flashes got the ball to Laura Beth Lyons for a 3-pointer from the top of the arc.

She missed, but Sarah Kerut grabbed her 10th and final rebound of the game on the left wing and put up another 3-pointer. It bounced off the rim as time expired.

“That was just whoever got lucky in the end,” Wesson coach Jemmye Ann Helms said. “Luck was going our way at the end.”

Lyons led St. Al with 12 points and four steals. Carr had eight points for Wesson, and Anna Johnson added seven points and six rebounds.

St. Al was just 6-for-27 from the field, but stayed in the game by hitting 18 of 35 free throws. Wesson was only 7-for-19 from the line.

(B) Wesson 74, St. Al 48

Wesson outscored St. Al 31-8 during a 10-minute span in the second and third quarters, then cruised to an easy win at the Red Carpet Classic.

Roderick Clay had 24 points and nine rebounds to earn game MVP honors for Wesson (8-13), while Johnny Butler added 10 points. Anthony Rector led St. Al with 12 points, and Andy Gough had nine.

Clay’s rebound basket with 3:15 to play in the first half triggered a 13-1 run that put the Cobras ahead 35-22 at halftime. Wesson then put the game away by outscoring St. Al 18-7 over the first seven minutes of the third quarter to take a 53-29 lead.

“They traveled last night and had to travel today, and we looked like the flatter team,” Hayden said. “From the end of the second quarter to the rest of the game, we just had no emotion at all.”