Red Level’s varsity basketball team opened up the 2015 season with a 43-27 win over the Florala Wildcats Tuesday night in Red Level.

The Tigers came blazing out of the gate in the opening period and took a 6-0 lead off baskets from Ontaryo Nearor, Jeffery Perdue and Hunter Carpenter.

After the Wildcats got on the board, Devon Dexter buried a 3-pointer to give Red Level a 9-2 lead.

One free throw from Kalen Ball cut the lead down to 9-3, but then Nearor scored four-straight points to go up 13-3.

The Wildcats cut the scored down to five points, but a 3-pointer from Carpenter put Red Level up 16-8 with four seconds left in the opening period.

Ball got a 2-pointer to make the 16-10 heading into the second period.

Carpenter got a layup to start the second, but a 3-pointer from the Wildcats’ Lane Craig made the score 18-13.

Red Level then took a 24-13 lead off baskets from Dexter, Nearor and Perdue.

Carpenter increased the lead to 26-13 with a layup with a minute left in opening half.

The Wildcats then got a 3-pointer from Ball, but Perdue closed out the half with two free throws to put Red Level up 28-16 at halftime.

Carpenter started the third period with a layup for a 30-16 lead, but Florala closed the third period with seven-straight points to cut the lead to 35-25 heading into the final period.

Perdue tacked on two free throws to start the fourth to put Red Level up 37-25 with four minutes left in the game.

Carpenter drained a 3-pointer to put the nail in the coffin and give Red Level a 40-27 lead with three minutes left.

Javaris Grooms got the final three points of the game to give Red Level a 43-27 victory.

“I told the guys tonight, that despite the loss, we looked good out there,” Florala head coach Troy Stewart said. “We looked much better than we did a year ago. Really, we played hard until around the fourth and I think we just got tired.”

Ball led the Wildcats with 9 points, and Red Level’s leading scorer was Carpenter with 16 points.

“We didn’t shoot the ball well at all tonight,” Red Level head coach Allen Catrett said. “Offensively, we started off strong, but we just missed too many outside looks. We have to be able to make those shots. We did well defensively and on the boards. Overall, I was pleased with the effort, but we still have some things to work on.”