title: Gender-specific activity demands experienced during semiprofessional basketball game play.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To compare game activity demands between female and male semiprofessional basketball players.
  
  
  METHODS
  Female (n=12) and male (n=12) semiprofessional basketball players were monitored across 3 competitive games. Time-motion-analysis procedures quantified player activity into predefined movement categories across backcourt (BC) and frontcourt (FC) positions. Activity frequencies, durations, and distances were calculated relative to live playing time (min). Work:rest ratios were also calculated using the video data. Game activity was compared between genders for each playing position and all players.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Female players performed at greater running work-rates than male players (45.7±1.4 vs. 42.1±1.7 m/min, P=.05), while male players performed more dribbling than female players (2.5±0.3 vs. 3.0±0.2 s/min; 8.4±0.3 vs. 9.7±0.7 m/min, P=.05). Positional analyses revealed that female BC players performed more low-intensity shuffling (P=.04) and jumping (P=.05), as well as longer (P=.04) jogging durations, than male BC players. Female FC players executed more upper-body activity (P=.03) and larger work:rest ratios (P<.001) than male FC players. No significant gender differences were observed in the overall intermittent demands, distance traveled, high-intensity shuffling activity, and sprinting requirements during game play.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These findings indicate that gender-specific running and dribbling differences might exist in semiprofessional basketball. Furthermore, position-specific variations between female and male basketball players should be considered. These data may prove useful in the development of gender-specific conditioning plans relative to playing position in basketball.
authors.affiliation: Human Exercise and Training Laboratory, Central Queensland University, Rockhampton, Australia.
authors.forename: Aaron T
authors.initials: AT
authors.lastname: Scanlan
authors.forename: Ben J
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Dascombe
authors.forename: Andrew P
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Kidcaff
authors.forename: Jessica L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Peucker
authors.forename: Vincent J
authors.initials: VJ
authors.lastname: Dalbo
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001490:Basketball / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D053580:Muscle Strength / Q000502:physiology; D064797:Physical Conditioning, Human / Q000502:physiology; D010807:Physical Endurance / Q000502:physiology; D012737:Sex Factors; D055815:Young Adult