JERUSALEM, May 29 (Xinhua) -- Israeli EuroLeague basketball club Maccabi Tel Aviv on Wednesday announced that head coach Oded Kattash has extended his contract until 2026.
The 49-year-old Israeli joined Maccabi in June 2022 for a second term, after having served as head coach in the 2007-08 season, and last season led the club to the Israeli league title.
In the current season, Maccabi reached the quarterfinals of the EuroLeague playoffs, despite all their home games being staged in Serbia due to the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict.
Maccabi also finished first in the Israeli Premier League regular season and currently holds a 1-0 lead in the best-of-five quarterfinal playoff series against Ironi Ness Ziona.
Kattash's coaching career covers six Israeli clubs besides Maccabi, along with Panathinaikos, with whom he won the Greek Cup, and Israel's national team.
As a player, he won four Israeli championship titles with Maccabi in the late 90s, and in 2000, he reached the peak of his playing career, winning the EuroLeague title with Panathinaikos after beating Maccabi in the final.
"I am happy and proud to sign for two more years at Maccabi," said Kattash. "Now we are all together focused on the task ahead of us, the championship title."
"It seems natural that Oded will continue in his position. The current season proved and strengthened his abilities," said Maccabi chairman Shimon Mizrahi. ■
