Kats says Maccabi Tel Aviv are battered and tired before Game 3 of the final

Maccabi Tel Aviv will host Hapoel Tel Aviv on Sunday in Game 3 of the Israeli league finals, with the yellow team aiming for a third straight win and another national championship. The article was published on June 20, 2026, at 19:43.

Head coach Oded Katash said he was excited to play in front of the home crowd again, but admitted his team is dealing with fatigue after a hard Game 2. "The second game was very difficult, but in the end we did the job," he said, adding that there is still "a lot to improve" and hoping it will show on the court.

Katash said his players are "very battered and tired" and that the roster will be decided only on the morning of the game. He also pointed to early foul trouble in the previous matchup, which hurt his team, and said he hopes to avoid that this time. Looking ahead, he said he wants to see effort plays, big steals and offensive rebounds, stressing that consistency and urgency are essential in a title game. "It is a championship game, and we do not care that there are still two games to fix things," he said.

Guard Jimmy Clark also spoke before the game, saying, "We are not done with the job, we still need one win," and noted that playing at home is important. He described the team as very united and said it is good to see that chemistry. Clark also referred to the club's long-standing Maccabi DNA, saying they are trying to continue the tradition and bring Maccabi back to where it belongs.