MIES (Switzerland) - The first thing anyone who glimpses at Group I of the 2020-21 Basketball Champions League Play-Offs notices is that two of the contenders, Pinar Karsiyaka and Tofas Bursa, come from Turkey.

The draw has given a high-level group in which parity will certainly reign. Karsiyaka are maybe the most well-equipped team, their second-place finish in the Regular Season is deceptive - Brindisi's Simone Giofrè

Having to face a domestic rival in a European context can mean entirely different things to each of the two fanbases, but rest assured that every player, no matter which team he plays for, very much prefers having to board a short domestic flight rather than travel across the continent.

This is a luxury of course that the two other teams that were drawn in Group I, Italy's Happy Casa Brindisi and Israel's Hapoel UNET-Credit Holon will not have.

"It will come down to details and I think the two Turkish teams might have a small advantage in that they will avoid at least one international trip, unlike ourselves," commented Brindisi sporting director Simone Giofrè

"The draw has given a high-level group in which parity will certainly reign. All four contenders finished the Regular Season on a 4-2 record, and that is a sign of the general parity among us.

Karsiyaka have beaten us twice this season and honestly, the clubs, the coaches, the teams know each other pretty well by now. It is an advantage for both teams to have a domestic flight in this group - Tofas Bursa's Tolga Öngören

"I think Pinar Karsiyaka are maybe the most well-equipped team, their second-place finish in the Regular Season is deceptive and they have a former Brindisi player in Amath M’Baye."

For Tofas, who entered the Play-Offs in their first ever campaign in the BCL, the Tuesday draw that pitted them against a Turkish rival also emphasized the aspect of representing one's country as well as one's club when playing in a European competition.

"The group is difficult, the interesting part is that two Turkish teams are in the same group. I think our goal should be for two Turkish teams to reach the Final 8," Tofas sporting director Tolga Öngören told the TrendBasket website.

"There is no such thing as an easy or tough draw, every game is tough at this level. It's good that there are no long trips, like to Sassari or to Tenerife. In that sense, the draw was good," he added.

"Karsiyaka have beaten us twice this season and honestly, the clubs, the coaches, the teams know each other pretty well by now. It is an advantage for both teams to have a domestic flight in this group."

Tofas will most likely have to do without their most recent signing, Tomislav Zubcic, for at least the first games of the Play-Offs, as the Croatian center picked up an injury in late January.

"Injuries are a part of sport. [Tomislav] Zubcic's injury is not good, he will be sidelined for between four and six weeks," Tolga Öngören explained.

"The duration of recovery depends on how quickly the bone heals. The group starts on March 2-3, then we foresee that he will be with us when he comes. We think he will play in the BCL Play-Offs, if everything goes well."