The "Roca Team" is ahead of Asvel 3rd, winner against Portel (85-65) earlier in the afternoon, thanks to its interiors: the young Victor Wembanyama (25 points, 7 rebounds) and Youssoupha Fall (21 points).
Monaco was however surprised by Orléans and tried several times to come back to score without success... before the American Mike James (24 points) scored a 3-point basket 1 minute and 50 seconds from the end of the match to take advantage.
Behind the leading trio, Pau-Orthez, who signed his fifth straight league victory in Dijon on Saturday (89-85), moved to fourth place at the expense of his opponent of the day.
The Béarnais, carried by the American Brandon Jefferson, author of 26 points, widened the gap in the first quarter on the Dijon floor (30-14) and inflicted a second setback in a row on the JDA Dijon, already beaten the previous weekend at Fos-sur-Mer, penultimate in the championship.
With 16 wins and 9 defeats, Pau-Orthez, who counts - like the first three in the championship - one game less, widens the gap on the quartet who are hot on their heels in the rankings in the Top 8, qualifying for the final stages of the 'Elite.
Limoges, Dijon, Le Mans and Strasbourg, ranked 5th to 8th respectively, all have 15 wins and 11 losses.
Limoges and Strasbourg also carried out a good operation on Saturday: the CSP went to win in Roanne (86-81), while the SIG snatched victory from Cholet thanks to a winning shot scored in the corner by Jordan Howard ten seconds from the end of the match (90-88).
For its part, Le Mans suffered at home the law of Fos-sur-Mer (99-93) on Saturday.
© 2022 AFP