LIVERMORE FALLS – The Winthrop boys basketball team knew it needed to stop running-and-gunning and slow the game down down the stretch to hold off Livermore Falls.

Sam Leclerc scored a game-high 25 points and the Ramblers stayed unbeaten with a 51-43 win against Livermore Falls in a Mountain Valley Conference game Thursday night.

Winthrop utilized its quickness to build a 10-point lead and then switched gears and took the air out of the ball.

A 7-0 run in the middle of the third quarter broke the game open.

The score was tied 25-25, however, baskets by Tim Gingras and Leclerc and a conventional three-point play by Mike Gingras (nine points), put the Ramblers ahead 32-27.

“Were a run-and-gun team,” Winthrop coach Dennis Dacus said.

“We wanted them to shoot from the outside because Mike Durrell is a hell of a player on the inside. He got his points, but they struggled from outside. I told my team if we held them to under 45 points, we’d win.”

Livermore Falls (1-2) pulled to within eight points four different times in the fourth quarter. Durrell (16 points, nine rebounds) was strong in the paint and Davis Mercier had 15 points.

“We need to get more players involved,” Livermore Falls coach Randy Parenteau said.

The Andies fed the 6-foot-7 Durrell constantly, but the Rambler defense forced 25 turnovers. Andie guards Zach Keene and Jake Marceau and forward Mark O’Shea from distributing the ball.

Livermore had pulled to within 45-37 , following a Durrell hoop and then forced a turnover. But Mike Gingras stole the ball and scored with 2:33 remaining.

“We wanted to wear them down in the fourth,” Leclerc said. “We needed to be patient and take time off the clock. The defense (2-3 zone held up and we made (six of eight) free throws.”

Winthrop (3-0) shot 45 percent from the floor in the second half and committed 12 turnovers in the game.

The Andies shot 44 percent.