Local Hoops: Mac TA's Fischer attacked at club

Star center slashed in the face when assailant smashes bottle against him during a fight.

By ALLON SINAI
dor fischer 88 (photo credit: )
dor fischer 88
(photo credit: )
As if Maccabi Tel Aviv's on-court struggles this season weren't bad enough, the club was rocked by an off-court incident on Monday after star center D'or Fischer was attacked outside a Tel Aviv nightclub in the early hours of the morning. Fischer was slashed in the face when an assailant smashed a bottle against him during a fight outside the city's Mendi's nightclub. He was taken to Tel Aviv's Ichilov Hospital by teammate Tre Simmons, who was with him at the club, and underwent plastic surgery to repair a facial nerve after suffering a deep cut in his left cheek. No arrests have been made so far, but Tel Aviv police confirmed it is investigating the incident, which occurred at around 3:30 a.m. "It will take Fischer two to three weeks to return to the court, but the rehabilitation of the facial nerve will take between three and five months and only then will he be able to smile and close his eye normally," said Dr. Eyal Gur, head of the microsurgery unit at Ichilov hospital. Maccabi manager Gur Shelef said Fischer and Simmons will both be disciplined, but admitted that at the moment the club's only concern is the health of its starting center ahead of the crucial Euroleague contest at Alba Berlin on Thursday. "This is obviously a disciplinary matter, but we're not going to deal with it right now as it is all very fresh. It's difficult to judge a man in his state. I sat with him and sobbed," Shelef said. "We know players go out at nights, but we were surprised by the time they were out and by the fact it was D'or. "We will undoubtedly miss him in the next few games, but we're not considering replacing him. We might sign another player though." Center Aaron McGhee, who was released from Ironi Nahariya on Sunday, is the favorite to become the next player to bolster Maccabi's frontcourt. Fischer, who will obviously not be able to play against Berlin, has been one of Maccabi best players this season, averaging 14.6 points and 7.6 rebounds per game in the Euroleague. Hours before he was attacked, he scored 10 points and took seven rebounds in the 102-80 BSL victory over Ironi Kiryat Ata.