Pinar Karsiyaka – Turk Telekom
Turkish Super League
21/10/2023 Saturday, 17:00 CET
Pinar Karsiyaka had a strong season last year, reaching the Turkish Super League finals. They dominated on their home court in Izmir, with a regular-season record of 13-2, and only Anadolu Efes managed to defeat them in front of their fans during the playoffs. In previous years, this club often faced challenges due to significant roster changes over the summer. However, this time around, they have managed to retain some of the key players like Erick McCollum, Kenan Sipahi, Vittorio Brown, Jaylon Brown and Thomas Akyazili, which is a significant advantage for head coach Ufuk Sarica. They demonstrated their ability to continue where they left off last season in the second round of the domestic league when they defeated Fenerbahce by 84:79. While road games may continue to be a challenge, few teams will surprise them in Izmir.
On the other hand, Turk Telekom has completely transformed its roster. The new head coach, Nenad Canak, and the absence of any foreign players from last season's roster have created a transition period for the team. They have struggled significantly, with losses to Aris, Cluj-Napoca and Buyukcekmece, indicating that Turk Telekom is still far from the level they were at a year ago. The quality of the team was much higher when they had players like Jerian Grant, Tyrique Jones and Nate Sestina. Their replacements have not performed as strongly, and based on what has been seen so far, it's not realistic to expect this team to replicate its performance from the previous season.
On one side, you have Pinar Karsiyaka, a dominant force when playing in front of their fans in Izmir, as they have demonstrated last season and this season. On the other side is Turk Telekom, a team that struggles on the road, even against opponents significantly weaker than their current opponent. All of this should point to a comfortable and secure win for Pinar Karsiyaka. They are in better form, their players are more familiar with each other due to their longer time playing together, and coach Sarica has significantly more experience than his colleague on the other side.