After missing out on their first opportunity to seal qualification in Game 3, AS Monaco resisted an epic comeback from hosts Elan Bearnais Pau-Orthez at the Palais des Sports to make their fourth French LNB final series thanks to an 85-83 (20-26, 25-14, 23-15, 17-28) win.
Monaco will challenge LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne for the title next Wednesday in Game 1 (20:30 CEST), to be held in Lyon.
If ASVEL obtained its qualification through a sweep against Dijon, Monaco needed one more round (3-1) to validate their ticket. After leading by 18 points behind (63-45) with three minutes left in the third quarter, Orthez managed to have the match point in a dramatic finish.
However, their hero of the evening, Brandon Jefferson (34 points on 9/18 from the field, plus 5 assists), missed a long-range shot at the buzzer.
The hosts had taken the lead in the first period (26-20), before the Mike James – Will Thomas duo took things into their own hands. Leo Westermann was disqualified with two technical fouls and Monaco got into real trouble when Jefferson allowed his side to come within one possession twice in the last two minutes (78-81 and 81-83).
Will Thomas' defensive prowess kept Monaco in front, on a night when Mike James (21 points on 2/10 from 3-point range, 4 assists, 3 rebounds) can thank the team's big men for taking care of business.
Donta Hall (12 points, 7 rebounds) and Will Thomas (15 points) upheld Monaco's lead.
Apart from Brandon Jefferson's 34 points, Pau Orthez saw Justin Bibbins score 16 points and dish out 4 assists.
This will be the third final between back-to-back champs ASVEL and Monaco in the history of the French championship after 2019.
Pau-Lacq Orthez: Brandon Jefferson 34 (9/18 FG, 7/16 3PT SHOTS, 9/11 FT, 5 AST), Justin Bibbins 16 (5/10 FG, 4/4 FT), Landing Sane 8, Vitalis Chikoko 8.
AS Monaco: Mike James 21 (5/15 FG, 9/10 FT, 4 AST, 5 TO), Will Thomas 15 (7/8 FG, 4 REB), Donta Hall 12 (5/7 FG, 2/2 FT, 7 REB, 3 AST), Leo Westermann 12 (6 AST), Donatas Motiejunas 9.
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