title: Match intensity and heart rate predictors in top level basketball referees during men's Eurobasket.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The aims of this study were to determine the heart rate (HR) response of referees during men's Eurobasket Championship and identify relationships body composition and other match variables as predictor of HR.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty-one elite basketball referees (REF, 40.4±4.3 years) were analyzed during a random sample of 38 matches in the 2013 men's Eurobasket Championship, one of the best basketball competitions in the World. The height, body mass, triceps, abdominal, supraspinale, subscapular, front thigh and medial calf skinfolds were measured.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The result was that out of all 4 quarters of every game (Q1, Q2, Q3 and Q4), HR (bpm and % HRmax) in Q1 (164.2±13.9 bpm; 90.5±7.1%) was the highest (P<0.05). Likewise, Q2 (162.5±15.7 bpm; 90.5±7.1%) values were higher (P<0.05) than Q3 (158.5±13.2 bpm; 88.2±7.3%) and Q4 (158.4±13.4 bpm; 88.2±7.5%). The study also showed that variables of triceps skinfold (β: 1.33; P<0.000), years of experience (β: -0.40; P<0.05) and fat mass (β: -2.51; P<0.000) were the variables that significantly predicted the physical performance.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In conclusion, the heart rate directly was associated with REF's anthropometric features and years of experience. However did not show any association with different match variables such as: total scores, differences scores among teams, duration of the match or ratio time/point ratio.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Physical Activity and Sport Sciences, University of Leon, Leon, Spain - avaqj@unileon.es.
authors.forename: Alejandro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Vaquera
authors.forename: Juan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Mielgo-Ayuso
authors.forename: Julio
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Calleja-González
authors.forename: Anthony S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Leicht
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000886:Anthropometry; D001490:Basketball; D001823:Body Composition; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005544:Forecasting; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005082:Physical Exertion / Q000502:physiology*