BUENOS AIRES (Argentina) - Winning an international trophy while playing for a club from your own country in front of your home fans is a rare feat but Vitor Benite, who has already accomplished it, hopes to find out on Saturday whether there is something even sweeter.

Buenos Aires has always been a really nice place to be in, it has a great atmosphere, and I have a lot of good memories of playing tough games in an environment of rivalry - Vitor Benite

The Brazilian international already has a FIBA Intercontinental Cup gold medal in his trophy case, and he earned it as a member of the Flamengo side that defeated Maccabi Tel Aviv in the 2014 Final over two legs.

On Saturday though, Benite will step out at Estadio Obras Sanitarias as the captain of Hereda San Pablo Burgos, when the Spanish team take on Argentinian side Quimsa in the 2021 FIBA Intercontinental Cup Final.

The prospect of beating an Argentinian team in Buenos Aires is very tantalizing for any Brazilian athlete, much more so if it means winning a trophy.

"I've been to Buenos Aires a lot of times, either with the national team to play friendly games or with the Brazilian clubs I've played for earlier in my career," Benite told fiba.basketball

You play against the champions of another continent so it's always a really interesting image to see two different teams and two different cultures collide in a game - Vitor Benite

"It's always been a really nice place to be in, it has a great atmosphere, especially when you go there with a Brazilian team (he laughs) and I have a lot of good memories of playing tough games in an environment of rivalry that is really nice.

"First, it's really amazing to be able to compete for a championship at this moment of the year, in this very particular season that we are living through.

"Second, it's really big for me personally because if we win it's going to be my second time after winning it the first time with Flamenco, it would be truly special.

"It would be big for the city of Burgos because, like everybody, people here are going through a tough time now but the club is getting bigger, the team is playing well, so it would be great to gift them a happy moment, and there is nothing like winning a title when you play sports."

The first time I had the opportunity to win it playing on the side of Americas with Flamengo and now I get a chance to win it on the side of Europe - Vitor Benite

Burgos lived out the sporting version of the rugs-to-riches fairytale last September, when they conquered the Basketball Champions League crown in Athens, a mere three years after earning promotion to the Spanish top flight (Liga Endesa) from the second division (LEB Oro).

That phenomenal success has not however quenched neither the club's nor Benite's thirst to keep breaking new ground, this time outside the boundaries of Europe.

"[The FIBA Intercontinental Cup] is a big tournament, you play against the champions of another continent so it's always a really interesting image to see two different teams and two different cultures collide in a game, to see how we play the game in the Americas and how we play the game in Europe," the Burgos shooting guard said.

"To me it's amazing and I think it means a lot to every player because it's a trophy and it's always big.

"On a personal level, it would be amazing also because the first time I had the opportunity to win it playing on the side of Americas with Flamengo and now I get a chance to win it on the side of Europe, I hope we can do it."

Quimsa are going to be really, really motivated because when a team from the Americas plays a team from Europe is always an extra motivation for them and we have to be very aware of that - Vitor Benite

Benite is very careful not to let anyone on the team get overly confident ahead of Saturday's Final, and that's because he is very mindful of Quimsa's potential.

"As an Argentinian team, I know Quimsa are going to be really tough, they understand the game very well, they play well as a team," he said.

"They are going to be really, really motivated because when a team from the Americas plays a team from Europe is always an extra motivation for them and we have to be very aware of that.

"For me as a Brazilian, it's always nice to play in Argentina, I've been there a lot of times, and of course it's something else for me in terms of motivation, for sure."

There are many different ways of playing basketball in South America and Argentina has the most European-like style - Vitor Benite

As a South American playing in Europe, Benite is also uniquely positioned to point out any stylistic differences between the two finalists.

"I think European basketball is usually a bit ahead of what they do in South America and then South America is trying to catch up with that new style of basketball," he expalined.

"But at the end of the day the two are quite similar, the players we have in South America are very talented, especially so in Argentina.

"There are many different ways of playing basketball in South America and Argentina has the most European-like style.

"They have done this for many years now both with the national team and at the clubs and they have been successful.

"I think we can see a little bit of difference, and I am referring to clubs, not national teams, in the structure of the offensive game: In Europe we are trying to find the best way to attack, while in South America we are trying to find the best player."

If, somehow, the Brazilian flag happens to me in my bag and I take it out, it would be even nicer - Vitor Benite

The winner of the Saturday Final will succeed Lenovo Tenerife as the FIBA Intercontinental Cup champions. The Spanish team won the title in 2020 after beating Virtus Bologna in the Final, behind an MVP performance by another Brazilian international, Marcelinho Huertas.

The Tenerife star celebrated after that game holding his MVP trophy and gold medal draped in the Brazilian flag midcourt.

Benite laughs out loud when asked if he plans a similar celebration in the Argentinian capital.

"First I'm going to worry about trying to win and I will be focused on that," he replied.

"If, somehow, the Brazilian flag happens to me in my bag and I take it out, it would be even nicer. But let's see what happens.

"Huertas is like my brother, he is a genius of a player but right now I am just hoping to win it and if the Brazilian flag pops up, well that will just be awesome as well."