Pau Orthez hold off Limoges 85-81 and climb to 10th

Pau Orthez's fast start lifts them to 10th in the Jeep Elite

Pau Orthez's 85-81 home win over Limoges, built in the first half, lifts them to 2-3 and 10th of 17. Limoges drop to 1-4 and sit 12th in the French Jeep Elite after round 5.

The result reshapes both form lines. Pau opened the season with a run of defeats but have now won back-to-back games, while Limoges' form reads L, W, L, L, L.

At the top, Dijon, Paris Basketball and ASVEL remain unbeaten at 5-0, with Chalon fourth at 4-1. For these two clubs, the more pressing business lies further down the table.

How Pau Orthez built their lead in the first half

Pau won the first quarter 28-20 and the second 24-19, and that early cushion decided the game. Limoges spent the rest of the night chasing.

Gregor Hrovat led the scoring with 19 points, and his 9/12 at the free-throw line did much of the work. Fabio Milanese added 14 points on 5/9 inside the arc and 4/5 from the line.

Justin Briggs anchored the interior with 13 points, 9 rebounds and 2 blocks in 23 minutes. He shot 6/9 on two-pointers and committed 0 turnovers, finishing with a PIR of 17.

Best players of the game

Player	Points	PIR
Mamadou Guisse (Limoges)	16	21
Justin Briggs (Pau Orthez)	13	17
Gavin Ware (Limoges)	14	16
Hugo Invernizzi (Limoges)	13	13
Gregor Hrovat (Pau Orthez)	19	11
Fabio Milanese (Pau Orthez)	14	10

Why Limoges' second-half comeback fell short

Limoges won the third quarter 22-16 and the fourth 20-17, but the first-half deficit was too large to close. The final margin was 4.

Hugo Invernizzi supplied the outside threat, hitting 3/6 from three for 13 points in 32 minutes. Gavin Ware added 14 points and 7 rebounds, going 5/8 inside and 4/5 from the line.

Pau's supporting cast helped them hold on despite 4 turnovers from Hrovat. Gide Noel scored 11 points off the bench with 3 steals, and Josh Mballa went 4/4 at the line.

Mamadou Guisse: 16 points and 12 rebounds off the Limoges bench

Mamadou Guisse was the standout player on the floor, posting 16 points and 12 rebounds off the bench for the highest PIR in the game, 21.

He shot 7/10 on two-pointers in 26 minutes, adding 1 steal and 1 block against just 1 turnover. His free throws, at 2/4, were the only blemish on the line.

Guisse's work inside drove the Limoges fightback in the second half. It was still not enough to prevent a fourth defeat of the season.

Who do Pau Orthez and Limoges play next?

Pau Orthez face Le Mans on 31 October, while Limoges meet Boulazac on the same date.

Another win would extend Pau's winning run and give them a chance to climb from 10th. Limoges, 12th at 1-4, need a result against Boulazac to stop their slide down the table.