NAPLES — They gather in the gym each day before school. Fifty free throws, then class.

“Quarter of seven every morning,” said Lake Region Coach John Mayo, who teaches accounting to many of his players. “We know that wins games.”

Nick Wandishin of Lake Region looks to pass around Waynflete defender Will Nelligan during the first half on Thursday night. Lake Region won 51-43 to put both teams at 11-2. Jill Brady/Staff Photographer

Waynflete’s Milo Belleau drives away from the defensive pressure of Lake Region’s Jack Lesure on Thursday night. Belleau scored a team-high 17 points. Jill Brady/Staff Photographer

On Thursday night against Waynflete, it certainly helped. The Lakers drained all 15 of their free throws to choke off every Flyers comeback attempt and never trailed in a 51-43 Western Maine Conference boys’ basketball victory.

Both teams are 11-2.

“I knew this was a big game,” said Mayo, whose team ranked second in the Class B South Heal point standings. “They hit a buzzer-beater against Falmouth a couple of nights ago.”

That was Friday night, when Milo Belleau’s improbable 3-pointer gave the Class C Flyers a 44-43 victory over Falmouth just 10 days after Jack Lesure’s last-second floater similarly lifted the Lakers over Class A Falmouth 56-55.

On Thursday night, Lesure drained all drama from the final minute by sinking six free throws late in the fourth quarter. He made nine from the line in all and finished with a team-high 15 points, and Waynflete came no closer than 47-43 after a three-point play by Yai Deng with 1:25 remaining.

Nate Smith added two more free throws, Waynflete turned the ball over and Nick Wandishin converted a press-breaking layup to end the scoring.

“We were preparing for this all week,” said Smith, who connected on consecutive 3-pointers midway through the third quarter after the Flyers had pulled to within 28-26. “They’re a fun team to play against. Every year we play them, they’re always competitive.”

Lake Region jumped to a 7-0 Thursday night as Waynflete missed its first seven shots from the field. The second of two Deng free throws finally broke the ice … but was disallowed because of a lane violation on the shooter.

It took a Belleau baseline drive nearly six minutes after the opening tap to finally erase Waynflete’s goose egg.

“We were really stagnant on offense,” Waynflete Coach Rich Henry said. “A little bit too much standing around. But I was pleased with the way the kids battled back.”

Indeed, the Flyers fell behind by as many as 11 in the second quarter (19-8) before a Will Nelligan 3-pointer sparked a 12-2 run capped by a Belleau trey that made it 21-20 half a minute before intermission.

Lake Region again threatened to pull away late in the third when Alex Langadas put back an offensive rebound to cap 10-0 run and give the Lakers a 38-26 lead.

“We came out with a lot of intensity,” said Langadas, who helped hold Deng scoreless in the first half, only to see him put up 15 points in the second.

“He was shifting me, he was taking me for a couple spins,” Langadas said. “It was tough. Great guy, though. We were having fun. We were battling.”

Deng and Belleau (17 points) scored all but two of Waynflete’s points in the second half. The Flyers twice cut the deficit to five but Lake Region remained perfect from the line.

“You’ve got to be able to play defense,” Mayo said, “and shoot free throws at the end.”

That is why the Lakers will continue to start their school days the same way, toeing the line before heading to class.

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