Effect of Player Role and Competition Level on Player Demands in Basketball

Relationship of Individual Athlete External Load, Session Rating of Perceived Exertion, and Athlete Playing Status Across a Collegiate Women's Basketball Season

External (EL) and internal (IL) load are commonly used methods used to quantify training load in team sports. Playing time and playing position may influence the training loads for specific athletes throughout a season. The purpose of the current study was to evaluate the effect of athlete playing status and individual in-season practices on EL and IL across a collegiate women's basketball season. Female basketball athletes were classified as high-minute (HMA; ≥15 min/game) or low-minute (LMA; <15 min/game) and wore microsensors during 53 practices for a total of 583 data points. EL was obtained via an inertial measurement unit (IMU) device that contained a triaxial accelerometer to obtain three-dimensional positioning data. IL and strength training (ST) load were determined via session rating of perceived exertion (sRPE) to create a daily summated value. Descriptive statistics indicate that athletes experienced individual differences in EL, ST, and IL throughout the season. A growth model showed that HMAs experienced higher EL than LMAs at the start of the season for practices (90.21 AU). Across all athletes, IL increased across the season (40.11 AU) and for each 1 unit of change in EL, IL increased by 1.04 AU. Repeated measures correlations identified a large relationship between IL and EL (r = 0.51, p < 0.001). A location-scale model indicated that the within-person variability of IL across all athletes was 3.29 AU but was not due to athlete playing status. It is recommended to base in-season training on individual loads and game demands to promote athlete readiness and improved sport performance.

Training and Game Loads Across Noncongested and Congested Weekly Microcycles During the Regular Season in a Semiprofessional Women's Basketball Team

PURPOSE

To quantify and compare loads encountered in individual training sessions and games during noncongested and congested weeks in semiprofessional women basketball players.

METHODS

Using an observational, longitudinal design, 12 players from the same team had their external (PlayerLoad, relative PlayerLoad, and total and high-intensity inertial movement analysis variables) and internal load (session rating of perceived exertion [sRPE], sRPE-load, percentage of heart rate peak, and modified summated-heart-rate-zones load) monitored across a regular season. Training and game data were categorized into noncongested (0-1 game) and congested weeks (2-3 games). Linear mixed models and Cohen d effect sizes were used for analyses.

RESULTS

Comparisons between training sessions revealed higher (P < .05, d = 1.35-5.33) PlayerLoad, total inertial movement analysis, sRPE, and sRPE-load during training session 1 than training session 2 in congested weeks. Comparisons between training sessions and games revealed higher (P ≤ .001, d = 1.10-1.66) sRPE and sRPE-load during games than training sessions 1 and 2 in noncongested weeks, alongside higher (P ≤ .001, d = 1.87-3.55) sRPE during game 1 than training sessions 1 and 2 in congested weeks. Comparisons between games revealed higher (P < .05, d = 0.57-2.82) loads in game 3 during congested weeks compared with all other games.

CONCLUSIONS

Training appeared to be tapered in congested weeks, likely to account for upcoming increases in game loading, but remained relatively consistent across sessions during noncongested weeks. Individual game loads remained relatively consistent but were noticeably increased when a third game was played in the week.

Intensity Zones and Intensity Thresholds Used to Quantify External Load in Competitive Basketball: A Systematic Review

BACKGROUND

Despite widespread use of intensity zones to quantify external load variables in basketball research, the consistency in identifying zones and accompanying intensity thresholds using predominant monitoring approaches in training and games remains unclear.

OBJECTIVES

The purpose of this work was to examine the external load intensity zones and thresholds adopted across basketball studies using video-based time-motion analysis (TMA), microsensors, and local positioning systems (LPS).

METHODS

PubMed, MEDLINE, and SPORTDiscus databases were searched from inception until 31 January 2023 for studies using intensity zones to quantify external load during basketball training sessions or games. Studies were excluded if they examined players participating in recreational or wheelchair basketball, were reviews or meta-analyses, or utilized monitoring approaches other than video-based TMA, microsensors, or LPS.

RESULTS

Following screening, 86 studies were included. Video-based TMA studies consistently classified jogging, running, sprinting, and jumping as intensity zones, but demonstrated considerable variation in classifying low-intensity (standing and walking) and basketball-specific activities. Microsensor studies mostly utilized a single, and rather consistent, threshold to identify only high-intensity activities (> 3.5 m·s-2 for accelerations, decelerations, and changes-in-direction or > 40 cm for jumps), not separately quantifying lower intensity zones. Similarly, LPS studies predominantly quantified only high-intensity activities in a relatively consistent manner for speed (> 18.0 m·s-1) and acceleration/deceleration zones (> 2.0 m·s-2); however, the thresholds adopted for various intensity zones differed greatly to those used in TMA and microsensor research.

CONCLUSIONS

Notable inconsistencies were mostly evident for low-intensity activities, basketball-specific activities, and between the different monitoring approaches. Accordingly, we recommend further research to inform the development of consensus guidelines outlining suitable approaches when setting external load intensity zones and accompanying thresholds in research and practice.

Analysis of In-Season External Load and Sport Performance in Women's Collegiate Basketball

ABSTRACT

Brown, FSA, Fields, JB, Jagim, AR, Baker, RE, and Jones, MT. Analysis of in-season external load and sport performance in women's collegiate basketball. J Strength Cond Res 38(2): 318-324, 2024-Quantifying and monitoring athlete workload throughout a competitive season is a means to manage player readiness. Therefore, the purpose of the current study was to quantify practice and game external loads and to assess the relationship between such loads and basketball-specific performance metrics across a women's collegiate basketball season. Thirteen National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I women basketball athletes (age 20.08 ± 1.55 years) wore Global Positioning Systems sensors equipped with triaxial accelerometers for 29 games and 66 practices during the 2019-20 season. A multivariate analysis of variance was used to assess differences in external load between high- and low-minute players and across quarters within games ( p < 0.05). Bivariate Pearson correlation coefficients were run to determine relationships between external loads and metrics of basketball performance. Findings indicated that high- and low-minute athletes experienced different loads during games and practices ( p < 0.001). External loads differed by quarter, such that player load (PL) was highest in Q4 ( p = 0.007), PL·min -1 was highest in Q1 and lowest in Q4 ( p < 0.001), and explosive ratio (i.e., ratio of PL and explosive efforts) was lowest in Q3 ( p = 0.45). Relationships existed between PL·min -1 and field goals ( r = 0.41; p = 0.02) and between the explosive ratio and free throws ( r = 0.377 p = 0.04). These results can be used to inform design of training sessions with the intent to prepare athletes for the demands of the competitive season. It is recommended that future research continue to explore the relationship of sport-specific performance metrics and athlete external load.

Match demands of female team sports: a scoping review

This scoping review aimed to characterize and quantify the external load demands of professional female team sports, in terms of total distance [TD], moderate-speed [MSR] and high-speed running [HSR], sprint, accelerations [ACC], and decelerations [DEC]. A search was conducted in PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science until 15/04/2023. The Risk of Bias Assessment Tool for Nonrandomized Studies (RoBANS) was used. Eighty-six articles were eligible for inclusion in this review, with 40 in soccer, 23 in rugby (6 rugby union, 3 rugby league, and 14 rugby sevens), 8 in field hockey, 8 in basketball, 6 in handball, and 1 in futsal. Soccer is the most investigated sport, and players perform ~9500 m TD, of which ~580 m is performed in HSR, and with a great number of ACC, DEC, and sprints. Rugby league and union players cover a greater distance (~5450 m) when compared to rugby sevens (~1550 m); however, rugby sevens is more demanding in terms of high-intensity actions. Field hockey players perform ~5400 m TD with high-intensity and sprint actions. Women's indoor sports are less studied, and basketball players cover ~5300 m TD, of which 7% is performed in MSR. Handball players perform ~3500 m TD and cover ~423 m in MSR and ~141 m in HSR, and futsal players perform ~5 m × min-1 in HSR and they do a great number of high-intensity activities (HSR, ACC, and DEC). Considering the high physical demands experienced by female athletes, professionals could use the present results for training and return to competition schedules.

Differentiating attack-defense performance for starting and bench players during the Tokyo Olympics men's basketball competition

This study aimed to explore the differences in attack-defense performance between the top and bottom teams for starting and bench players during the Tokyo Olympics men's basketball competition, to determine the relationship between the attack-defense performance of starting and bench players and the final competition rankings, as well as with each performance indicator. The rank-sum ratio (RSR) comprehensive evaluation was employed to describe the attack-defense performance of starting and bench players. Additionally, an independent sample t-test, Spearman Rho Correlation, and Pearson Correlation were conducted to test the differences and relationships between the various variables at a 0.05 level of significance, respectively. The results indicated that the top four teams showed significant differences in the attack-defense performance of their starting players compared to the bottom four teams (p = 0.021), mainly in terms of 3-point shooting percentage (p = 0.042) and free throw shooting percentage (p = 0.044). Besides that, the attack-defense ranks of both starting players (p = 0.004, r = 0.757) and bench players (p = 0.020, r = 0.658) had a significant correlation with the final rankings. Points per game, 2-point field goal percentage, and assists had a statistically significant (p<0.01) and strong positive correlation (0.70 Collapse

Key Words Collapse

MESH Headings

• Male
• Humans
• Basketball
• Tokyo
• Athletic Performance

Collapse

Grants Collapse

Affiliation(s)

Wenping Sun Department of Sport Studies, Faculty of Educational Studies, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
ChenSoon Chee Department of Sport Studies, Faculty of Educational Studies, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
LianYee Kok Department of Sport Science, Faculty of Applied Sciences, Tunku Abdul Rahman University of Management and Technology, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
FongPeng Lim Department of Mathematics and Statistics, Faculty of Science, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Shamsulariffin Samsudin Department of Sport Studies, Faculty of Educational Studies, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Collapse

External and Internal Load Variables Encountered During Training and Games in Female Basketball Players According to Playing Level and Playing Position: A Systematic Review

Background

Despite the growing global participation of females in basketball and number of studies conducted on the topic, no research has summarized the external and internal load variables encountered by female basketball players during training and games.

Objective

To collate existing literature investigating external and internal load variables during training and games in female basketball players according to playing level (club, high-school, representative, collegiate, semi-professional, and professional) and playing position (backcourt and frontcourt players).

Methods

A systematic review of the literature was performed using PubMed, SPORTDiscus, and Web of Science to identify studies published from database inception until June 11, 2021. Studies eligible for inclusion were observational and cross-sectional studies, published in English, reporting external and/or internal load variables during training sessions and/or games. Methodological quality and bias were assessed for each study prior to data extraction using a modified Downs and Black checklist. Weighted means according to playing level and playing position were calculated and compared if a load variable was reported across two or more player samples and were consistent regarding key methodological procedures including the seasonal phase monitored, minimum exposure time set for including player data (playing time during games), approach to measure session duration, and approach to measure session intensity.

Results

The search yielded 5513 studies of which 1541 studies were duplicates. A further 3929 studies were excluded based on title and abstract review, with 11 more studies excluded based on full-text review. Consequently, 32 studies were included in our review. Due to the wide array of methodological approaches utilized across studies for examined variables, comparisons could only be made according to playing level for blood lactate concentration during games, revealing backcourt players experienced higher lactate responses than frontcourt players (5.2 ± 1.9 mmol·L−1 vs. 4.4 ± 1.8 mmol·L−1).

Conclusions

Inconsistencies in the methods utilized to measure common load variables across studies limited our ability to report and compare typical external and internal loads during training and games according to playing level and position in female basketball players. It is essential that standardized methodological approaches are established for including player data as well as measuring session duration (e.g., total time, live time) and intensity (e.g., consistent rating of perceived exertion scales, intensity zone cut points) in future female basketball research to permit meaningful interpretation and comparisons of load monitoring data across studies.

Training and match demands differ between the regular season and finals in semi-professional basketball

Basketball competitions often include a scheduled regular season followed by knock-out finals. Understanding training and match demands through the season can help optimize performance and reduce injury risk. This study investigated whether training and/or match demands differed between the regular season and finals, and whether these differences were dependent on player role. Average session intensity and volume and durations of relative exercise intensities (inactive, light, moderate-vigorous, maximal, supramaximal) were quantified during training sessions and matches using accelerometry in two semi-professional basketball teams (n = 23; 10 women, 13 men). Training and match demands were compared between the regular season (training: 445 observations; matches: 387 observations) and finals (training: 113 observations, matches: 75 observations) with consideration of player role (starters, in-rotation bench, out-rotation bench). During finals matches, starters received 4.4 min more playing time (p = 0.03), performed 14% more absolute maximal activity (p < 0.01) and had 8% less relative inactive time (p = 0.02) when compared to the regular season. Out-rotation bench players received 2.1 min less playing time (p < 0.01), performed 33% less absolute maximal activity (p = 0.01) and 57% less absolute supramaximal activity (p < 0.01) in finals when compared to the regular season. During finals training sessions, average training intensity was 5% higher (p = 0.02), absolute moderate-vigorous activity was 3% higher (p = 0.04), relative maximal activity was 12% higher (p < 0.01), and relative inactive time was 5% lower (p = 0.03) when compared to the regular season. These findings suggest starters need to be physically prepared for greater match demands during finals, while out-rotation bench players should supplement their training during finals with extra supramaximal activity to maintain their conditioning levels for matches.

Residual neuromuscular fatigue influences subsequent on-court activity in basketball

AbstractThe aim of this study was to determine if residual neuromuscular fatigue influenced subsequent match and training activity in professional women's basketball. Prior to matches and training sessions throughout a season, players performed countermovement jumps while wearing a magnetic, angular rate and gravity (acceleration) sensor on their upper back. Flight time to contraction time ratio was used to determine neuromuscular performance and to identify neuromuscular fatigue. Average session intensity and volume, proportion of live time spent in different intensity bands (matches), and absolute and relative time spent in different intensity bands (training) were quantified using accelerometry. Residual neuromuscular fatigue was deemed to be present when the decrement in neuromuscular performance relative to pre-season baseline was greater than the smallest worthwhile change. Players displayed residual neuromuscular fatigue before 16% of matches and 33% of training sessions. When players were fatigued prior to matches, the proportion of live time undertaking supramaximal activity was 5.7% less (p = 0.02) and moderate-vigorous activity was 3.7% more than when not fatigued (p = 0.02). When fatigued prior to training, the players displayed a 2.6% decrement in average intensity (p = 0.02), 2.8% decrement in absolute (p = 0.01) and 5.0% decrement in relative (p = 0.01) maximal activity, as well as 13.3% decrement in absolute (p < 0.01) and 6.8% decrement in relative (p < 0.01) supramaximal activity when compared to not being fatigued. These findings suggest that residual neuromuscular fatigue influences players' ability to perform supramaximal activity, which highlights the importance of monitoring neuromuscular performance throughout a professional season.

On-Court Activity and Game-Related Statistics during Scoring Streaks in Basketball: Applied Use of Accelerometers

The aim of this observational study was to determine if on-court activity and match statistics differed between periods of scoring streaks and regular play in basketball. Thirty-seven basketballers including professional women, semi-professional women and semi-professional men wore accelerometers during competitive matches throughout a season. Accelerometry-derived live-time individual on-court exercise intensity and team game-related statistics were compared between scoring streaks (periods of play where the teams participating in the study scored at least three times in a row), streaks against (periods of play where the opposition teams scored at least three times in a row) and regular play. Few differences existed in the average exercise intensity between streak types. During streaks against, there was a 5–15% lower proportion of 2-point attempts, 0.8–1.3 fewer defensive rebounds per minute and 0.3–1.6 fewer shot attempts per minute compared to regular play and scoring streaks, and there were 0.3 fewer offensive rebounds per minute compared to regular play. During scoring streaks, there were 0.5 more defensive rebounds per minute, 1.3 more shot attempts per minute, a 43% greater shooting percentage and a 10% lower proportion of 3-point attempts compared to regular play. To reduce the chances of streaks against, teams should focus on facilitating 2-point shot attempts and consider implementing a 3:1 ratio of 2-point to 3-point attempts to maximize scoring success, and they should focus on winning rebounds to facilitate more shot attempts.

Criterion Validity of an Automated Method of Detecting Live Play Periods in Basketball

This study aimed to develop an automated method to detect live play periods from accelerometry-derived relative exercise intensity in basketball, and to assess the criterion validity of this method. Relative exercise intensity (% oxygen uptake reserve) was quantified for two men's semi-professional basketball matches. Live play period durations were automatically determined using a moving average sample window and relative exercise intensity threshold, and manually determined using annotation of video footage. The sample window duration and intensity threshold were optimised to determine the input parameters for the automated method that would result in the most similarity to the manual method. These input parameters were used to compare the automated and manual active play period durations in another men's semi-professional match and a women's professional match to assess the criterion validity of the automated method. The optimal input parameters were a 9-s sample window and relative exercise intensity threshold of 31% oxygen uptake reserve. The automated method showed good relative (ρ = 0.95–0.96 and ICC = 0.96–0.98, p < 0.01) and absolute (median bias = 0 s) agreement with the manual method. These findings support the use of an automated method using accelerometry-derived relative exercise intensity and a moving average sample window to detect live play periods in basketball.

Misuse of the term 'load' in sport and exercise science

Despite the International System of Units (SI), as well as several publications guiding researchers on correct use of terminology, there continues to be widespread misuse of mechanical terms such as 'work' in sport and exercise science. A growing concern is the misuse of the term 'load'. Terms such as 'training load' and 'PlayerLoad' are popular in sport and exercise science vernacular. However, a 'load' is a mechanical variable which, when used appropriately, describes a force and therefore should be accompanied with the SI-derived unit of the newton (N). It is tempting to accept popular terms and nomenclature as scientific. However, scientists are obliged to abide by the SI and must pay close attention to scientific constructs. This communication presents a critical reflection on the use of the term 'load' in sport and exercise science. We present ways in which the use of this term breaches principles of science and provide practical solutions for ongoing use in research and practice.