He turned 20 during the 2020-21 season during which Madar produced 17.1 points on 40.9% three-point shooting and 5.2 assists in the Israeli League – including a pair of 20-point efforts against Maccabi. Then came time for Madar to take the next step in his development and – instead of seeking a deal with the biggest club in Israel, Madar went the route of taking a smaller role under the winningest coach in EuroLeague history, Zeljko Obradovic, and signed with Partizan.
In doing so, Madar joined a select group of Israeli point guards who have played abroad for big clubs. Another of them, Oded Kattash, won the EuroLeague with Panathinaikos Athens in 2000 under the tutelage of the same Obradovic. Kattash is now manning the Maccabi sidelines and he will surely have a plan to make things tough on his young compatriot.
As one might expect, there have been growing pains during Madar’s tenure in black and white. Among the lows was an offensive foul he committed with 10 seconds left in a EuroCup playoff game that opened the door for Frutti Extra Bursaspor to stun Partizan in overtime at Stark Arena. The flip side, of course, is that Coach Obradovic had Madar on the floor in crunch time in the first place and only seconds before that he had made 2 free throws to put his team up 5.
The experiences from that first season have paid dividends this year as Madar has become a key player for Partizan at both ends of the floor despite the jump in competition. His play has Madar in the conversation for the 2022-23 EuroLeague Rising Star Award. And against a Maccabi team built around a deep, experienced and athletic backcourt, Madar will be as important as ever.
To date, he has never been afraid of big moments and thus playing this game just a short drive from his hometown of Bet Dagan should not trouble Madar. And make no mistake, this game has the potential to be a big moment in both teams’ seasons.
Only one win separates the two as they start the second half of the regular season with Maccabi one of four teams slotted from seventh to 10th place with 9-8 records and Partizan just one win behind. Not only does every win count in the playoff hunt, but every basket could matter too with tiebreakers possibly deciding things.
Partizan has won three of its last four games against Maccabi, including a 96-88 victory in Round 8 in which Dante Exum and Zach LeDay scored 21 points apiece. Madar started that game and scored 8 points on perfect shooting, but only featured for 13 minutes.
Partizan last won in Tel Aviv in the opening game of the 2010 playoffs, 77-85, behind 29 points on 7-for-9 three-point shooting from Dusan Kecman. It went on to win that series in four games and reach the Final Four, a feat it has not matched since. Pnini was a starter on that Maccabi team as was Doron Perkins, who is today an assistant coach for the team.
A victory in Tel Aviv would be a major result for Partizan and Madar, but Maccabi is 7-1 at home this season and determined to give the home crowd a show as it fights tooth and nail to a spot in the playoff zone. What a game in Tel Aviv this promises to be!