Basketball is a game of runs and halves.
Liberty-Eylau (15-7, 0-1) fell to Paris (18-7, 1-0) in a District 15-4A league opener Friday at the Rader Dome, 75-51.
The Wildcats controlled the tempo from the opening tip.
Paris finished with five players in double figures on the night and also continued their four-game winning streak.
Jameon Mitchell poured with 16 points for Paris, while teammates Trevon Dennis and Gavyn Hollje added 10 points each.
Daveoncha Meadows added 11 points for the Leopards, while Dominique Williams had eight points.
Both teams came out in the second half matching tempos.
Paris used its length and athleticism to attempt to go on a run, while Liberty-Eylau used active hands-on defense in the passing lanes to disrupt the Wildcats' offensive attack.
The Wildcats edged the Leopards heading into the half, 47-26.
Howard Barron paced the L-E scoring in the second quarter, scoring seven of his 11 points in the period.
The Wildcats topped the Leopards after the opening period, 22-12.
Paris ended the first quarter with a pace that L-E couldn't match.
Kentraevious Johnson led the Wildcats' surge in the opening period, scoring nine of 19 points.
Liberty-Eylau is back in action on Tuesday, traveling to North Lamar.
Paris=22=25=14=14=-75
Liberty-Eylau=12=14=9=16=-51
PARIS (75): Hollje 5 0-0 10, Dennis 4 1-2 10, Jones 6 0-0 12, Mitchell 7 1-2 16, Johnson 8 2-2 19, Lee 2 1-4 6, Rogers 1 0-0 2. TOTALS 29 5-10 75.
LIBERTY-EYLAU (51): Cross 3 0-0 7, Barron 4 2-6 11, Williams 3 0-0 8, Atkins 2 3-5 7, Cooper 1 0-0 2, Meadows 5 0-1 11, Daniels 2 0-0 5. TOTALS 20 5-13 51.
3-point goals: PHS-Dennis, Mitchell, Johnson, Lee. LE-Williams 2, Cross, Barron, Meadows, Daniels. Team fouls: Paris 8, Liberty-Eylau 11.