Tenacious, determined, and experienced – Matteo Zagar is ready to take on his senior year. As the only remaining player from his rookie class, the veteran forward will look to lead the Western Mustangs into a new era, and he’s more than capable.
The 6’5" forward from Oakville, Ont.,made a significant impact in the 2024-25 season, averaging 13.4 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 2.1 steals per game, while shooting a highly efficient 56.7 per cent from the field.
Known for his defensive instincts and high basketball IQ, Zagar has developed into one of Western’s most consistent performers. This year, he will take on a leadership role as the team welcomes a young roster with a lot of new additions. And he’s ready for more.
A key contributor and an emerging leader, over his career Zagar has earned the respect of the OUA’s best. With his combination of size, athleticism and relentless work ethic, the Mustang forward is poised for an all star year.
OB.SESSED was able to speak with Matteo about the upcoming season, his goals, and the FIBA 3x3 experience.
This is what he had to say.
It was early in his high school career when the Western Mustangs showed interest in Matteo Zagar.
“Western actually saw me play pretty early on, I think Grade 10 or 11, and they showed interest from there.” said Zagar.
“I didn't actually know if I wanted to stay in Canada, but ended up staying with the help of Coach Mo and Coach Campbell.”
Strong academics and a solid basketball foundation drew Zagar to Western.
“I realized it's got a pretty good program. Seeing some of the guys in the years leading up to it, they had a Nationals run and then they had a huge recruiting class with Tyson Dunn and a few other notable guys that I played with. Seeing them all come in, really made me realize, we could build something special in the next few years, and I also got accepted into the engineering program, so it all kind of worked out.”
Having played with, and against, some of the Mustang greats – like Omar Shiddo, Western’s all time leading scorer, and Tyson Dunn, a crafty guard that later transferred to NCAA Division 1 in the states – allowed Zagar to gain insight into how the OUA’s best approach the game.
“I think that decision worked out for me because I've kind of seen how they've approached the game and learned a lot from them.”
Lessons learned
These aren’t the only lessons learned along the way. During his time at Western, long-time Mustangs head coach, Brad Campbell, has reshaped the way Zagar approaches the game.
“A key lesson from Coach Campbell would be, he always says it before games and practices as well, but he always says, you want to be as mentally exhausted as you are physically exhausted.” the forward explained.
For Zagar, this lesson taught him to develop his mental side of the game. Creating a balance of playing hard, but also playing smart.
“Understanding how I can impact the court, not just with my physical, but also with my mental.”
The balanced attack of mind and body has shaped Zagar’s development over the years.
Offseason focus
With his final season quickly approaching, he used the much needed offseason to recover, as well as getting in reps against high level talent.
“This off-season was very important. I took a bit of time to recover my body and then my biggest focus this off-season was just playing as much high-level basketball as possible,” said Zagar.
“I had a lot of good opportunities early on in the summer to play with some CEBL guys, D1 guys, with an old coach.”
Playing against professional level players allowed Zagar to become much quicker when making reads during the game. Already a highly efficient scorer, these experiences will only sharpen his toolbelt come regular season time. OUA defences better be ready.
“I'm just trying to dunk on guys, man. I've got the athleticism. Sometimes I don't show it enough. And this year, I'm trying to go no mercy with that.”
FIBA U-23 3x3
In addition to playing against high level talent during the offseason, Zagar also got the chance to compete on the international stage, suiting up for Team Ontario in the Canada FIBA U23 3x3 championship.
“It was an amazing experience. I'd never played 3x3 before, so I pretty much picked up the ball and went for it. I love the game. I cannot stress how amazing I think it is. I do really think that in terms of the constant fast-paced play, the motion that's always happening, you're always running around your defence or offence, that's right up my alley,” said Zagar.
The experience doesn’t end there. Fresh off winning the 3x3 Championship with Team Ontario this summer, Zagar headed to Brazil to play in the international tournament from Sept. 12-14 to get the opportunity to compete against seasoned professional players.
"I think that'll be a huge eye-opener to what the next level of basketball looks like.”
For Zagar, the opportunity to compete at such a high level will only help him with the Mustangs this season.
“I'm hoping going into the season I can just use some of that wisdom in terms of spacing concepts and making quick reads, making the right plays on the court. I think it'll definitely translate and help me out.”
Looking Ahead
This season will look a lot different for the Mustangs. After losing two key starters to the transfer portal, the purple and white will rely heavily upon their fifth-year forward for production.
“This team is unlike any other team I've been on in that, like, I'm the last guy remaining from when I was a freshman. So it's brand new to me,” explained Zagar.
“These first few weeks, it's made me realize that as a leader on the team, I really need to lead by example. So stepping into this leadership role, and setting a standard that this team plays hard, we have grit, and we've got a good culture, and just setting the bar very high for these young guys so they know what's expected.”
Taking on a leadership role not only shapes Zagar’s team goals, but also his personal ones.
“I think if I stay on my 'A' game in the sense of being a leader, keeping everyone accountable, I'm confident that with my body of work and the tenacity I bring every day, it'll put me in a good position for an all star nod. So we'll see what we can do, but I'm really looking forward to this season.”
As Matteo Zagar heads into his fifth and final season, he’s bringing with him a rare combination of leadership and experience that few OUA players can offer.
From learning the game alongside some of the Western greats, to refining his mental approach under Coach Campbell, Zagar has built a strong foundation that sets him apart from the crowd.
His offseason work with professional level talent will help prepare him to take the reins and lead Western into a new year.
With a young roster and eight new additions to the team this year, Zagar will be counted on to set the tone early in the season. Whether that be chasing after loose balls, crashing the boards, or even catching a body, he’s poised for a huge year.
For Mustang fans, this season promises to be one where Zagar takes that next step–cementing his legacy as one of Western’s most formidable forwards in its storied history.
Get ready for showtime OUA fans, Matteo Zagar is ready for year five.