Fluctuations in Activity Demands Across Game Quarters in Professional and Semiprofessional Male Basketball

Abstract

Examination of activity demands and stoppage durations across game periods provides useful insight concerning fatigue, tactical strategies, and playing pace in team sports such as basketball. Therefore, the aims of this study were to quantify and compare game activity fluctuations across quarters in professional and semiprofessional basketball players. Video-based time-motion analyses were conducted across multiple games. Frequencies, total durations (in seconds), total distances (in meters), and mean velocities (in meters per second) were calculated for low-intensity movement (≤3 m·s), high-intensity movement (>3 m·s), shuffling, and dribbling activity. Frequencies were determined for jumping and upper-body activity; stoppage durations were also calculated. Separate repeated-measures analysis of variance and Cohen's d were used to identify significant differences and quantify the effect sizes between game quarters for all outcome measures, respectively. Pearson correlation analyses were performed to determine the relationship between stoppage duration and all activity measures. The results showed significantly (p ≤ 0.05) reduced dribbling (3.09 ± 0.03 m·s vs. 2.81 ± 0.01 m·s) and total (2.22 ± 0.04 m·s vs. 2.09 ± 0.03 m·s) activity velocities during the third compared with the first quarter in professional players. Furthermore, effect size analyses showed greater decreases in high-intensity (professional: d = 1.7-5.4; semiprofessional: d = 0.3-1.7), shuffling (professional: d = 2.3-3.2; semiprofessional: d = 1.4-2.1), and total (professional: d = 1.0-4.9; semiprofessional: d = 0.3-0.8) activity and increases in dribbling (professional: d = 1.4-4.7; semiprofessional: d = 2.5-2.8) with game progression in professional players. In semiprofessional players, stoppage duration was significantly (p ≤ 0.05) related to various low-intensity (R = 0.64-0.72), high-intensity (R = 0.65-0.72), and total (R = 0.63-0.73) activity measures. Although not directly measured, the observed game activity fluctuations were likely because of a combination of physiological (e.g., muscle glycogen depletion, dehydration), tactical (e.g., ball control, game pace), and game-related (e.g., time-outs, player fouls) factors. Basketball coaches can use the provided data to (a) develop more precise training plans and management strategies, (b) elevate semiprofessional player performance closer to the professional level, and (c) incorporate tactical strategies to maximize the benefits of stoppages.

Quantitative Analysis of Distances Covered by Professional Basketball Players According to the Movement Intensities

“…On the other hand, distances related to live playing time have presented a similar value. Differences of total distances covered were found between Backcourts and Frontcourts positions in walk, run and dribbling categories [10], whereas distances covered among quarters in different playing levels [8] did not presented any significant difference, for any of intensity categories analyzed.…”

“…Other previous investigations have approached female players in two [7] and eight [10] season matches, male players during five season games [8] and both genders in six season games [9]. These studies have provided more evidences about characteristics of distances covered among quarters, player's level and genders, in different intensity categories.…”

“…Previous researches had reported the distances covered by basketball players during game [3,[7][8][9][10][11][12][13]. These investigations have suggested also that distances covered in high intensity movement categories present a high variation between male basketball players, where means of distances covered ranged between 468-1029 and 192-592 m, during striding and sprinting movements, respectively [3].…”

“…Besides of frequency of movements, the time spent [5,7,8] percentage of active game clock [2,6] and distances covered [7][8][9][10] in different movement categories was also parameters quantified with the objective to give further understanding on physical demands in basketball games. The quantification of distances covered by player is considered a more detailed data than frequencies and time duration of movements [7], which can provide further understanding in relation to the volume demanded from different movement intensities during a basketball game.…”

“…Some studies have proposed the quantification of stopped game clock durations and found a considered relationship with the high intensity activities performed in basketball games [8,14]. The authors have reported the way of recovery that players have during these periods have a significantly influence on the repeated high intensity movement performance, that is crucial for basketball games [2,6,8].…”