Paris (AFP)

Bourg-en-Bresse started winning again on Saturday night, in the room of Pau-Lacq-Orthez (83-76), after a series of four defeats, in France and in Eurocup, and retains its place in the quartet of head of the Elite Championship.

The only other member of the leading quartet to play on Saturday, Dijon did not have too much trouble winning on the floor of the red lantern, Boulazac (86-76), and took second place in front of Boulogne-Levallois and behind the leader, Monaco.

In Pau, the match changed for the first time in the second quarter when the Bressans inflicted a 9-0 against the Pau to go from 23-23 to 32-23 in a few minutes.

The break seemed done and at half-time Bourg, much more aggressive, led 39 to 28.

Elan Béarnais then justified his official name by coming back to equality (48-48) three minutes from the end of the 3rd quarter, thanks to a superb dunk from Petr Cornelie, and even briefly took the advantage.

The match was finally launched and the three-point baskets were raining in the Palais des Sports.

Then Bourg-en-Bresse put a final decisive boost to move to 81-69 two minutes from the buzzer, then finish at 83-76 against courageous but less complete Béarnais.

- Gravelines at the end of the suspense -

A little earlier, Gravelines had beaten Cholet in a snatch (100-96 AD) thanks to 23 points from his Belgian-Moroccan pivot Khalid Boukichou.

The two teams were 76-76 at the final whistle and the "money time" was superb.

But terrible for Cholet, who had a 16-point lead and therefore fell for the 5th time in eight Elite matches.

Roanne got off to a bad start against Strasbourg then recovered to lead 39-35 at half-time, but SIG upped the pace in the 3rd quarter and took control on the scoreboard: 62- 53 at the start of the last period, but 82-78 in the end, following a last standoff from Roanne.

Finally, in the shock of the middle of the table, Le Portel (7th) narrowly beat (78-75) Nanterre (8th), one of his direct rivals, in his empty Cauldron.

Friday, Le Mans easily beat Limoges (91-68) by securing the victory at the start of the 4th quarter to avoid a stressful money-time.

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