title: Optimising technical skills and physical loading in small-sided basketball games.
abstract: Differences in physiological, physical, and technical demands of small-sided basketball games related to the number of players, court size, and work-to-rest ratios are not well characterised. A controlled trial was conducted to compare the influence of number of players (2v2/4v4), court size (half/full court) and work-to-rest ratios (4x2.5 min/2x5 min) on the demands of small-sided games. Sixteen elite male and female junior players (aged 15-19 years) completed eight variations of a small-sided game in randomised order over a six-week period. Heart rate responses and rating of perceived exertion (RPE) were measured to assess the physiological load. Movement patterns and technical elements were assessed by video analysis. There were ∼60% more technical elements in 2v2 and ∼20% more in half court games. Heart rate (86 ± 4% & 83 ± 5% of maximum; mean ± SD) and RPE (8 ± 2 & 6 ± 2; scale 1-10) were moderately higher in 2v2 than 4v4 small-sided games, respectively. The 2v2 format elicited substantially more sprints (36 ±12%; mean ±90% confidence limits) and high intensity shuffling (75 ±17%) than 4v4. Full court games required substantially more jogging (9 ±6%) compared to half court games. Fewer players in small-sided basketball games substantially increases the technical, physiological and physical demands.
authors.affiliation: Australian Institute of Sport, Department of Physiology, Canberra, Australia. markus.klusemann@ausport.gov.au
authors.forename: Markus J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Klusemann
authors.forename: David B
authors.initials: DB
authors.lastname: Pyne
authors.forename: Carl
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Foster
authors.forename: Eric J
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Drinkwater
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D054874:Athletic Performance / Q000502:physiology*; D001490:Basketball / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006339:Heart Rate; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009068:Movement; D005082:Physical Exertion / Q000502:physiology*; D010809:Physical Fitness; D011597:Psychomotor Performance / Q000502:physiology*; D012146:Rest / Q000502:physiology*; D012420:Running / Q000502:physiology*; D013647:Task Performance and Analysis; D055815:Young Adult