Shot Distribution and Accuracy in Senior and Youth International Basketball Games: Changes over the Decade of the 2010s.

Haruhiko Madarame

doi:10.3390/ijerph18189900

Abstract

This study aimed to investigate the changes in shot distribution and accuracy in senior and under-17 international basketball tournaments in the 2010s. A retrospective cross-sectional design was employed, and a total of 1055 games from 20 world-level tournaments held between 2010 and 2019 were analyzed. The tournaments held in 2010 were played under the old three-point line (6.25 m), and the rest of the tournaments were played under the new three-point line (6.75 m). The numbers of two- and three-point shot attempts in each game were normalized to 100 possessions. Differences in mean values of two- and three-point shot attempts were analyzed by a two-way (category × year) between-subjects analysis of variance (ANOVA). Differences in the success rates of two- and three-point shots were analyzed by Fisher’s exact test. There was no significant category × year interaction for two-point shot attempts. However, there were significant main effects of category and year for two-point shot attempts. The number of two-point shot attempts increased significantly in 2012 and, in 2016, returned to a level not significantly different from that in 2010, independent of categories. There was a significant category × year interaction for three-point shot attempts. The number of three-point shot attempts decreased significantly in 2012 and, by 2016, returned to a level not significantly different from that in 2010 in senior men and under-17 women. There was no significant change in the number of three-point shot attempts in under-17 men. The effect of the extension of the three-point line on shot accuracy was limited. Differences in shot accuracy were prominent between age categories: the accuracy was lower in under-17 games than in senior games for both sexes. Although under-17 men attempted fewer three-point shots than senior men, under-17 women attempted a similar number of or more three-point shots than senior women. These findings can contribute to a better understanding of age and sex differences in recent trends in international basketball.

Highlights

Since its invention in 1891 [1], basketball has undergone many changes throughout its history
Differences in shot accuracy were prominent between age categories: the accuracy was lower in under-17 games than in senior games for both sexes
The extension of the three-point line had a similar effect on the shot distribution in international basketball games as it did in professional league games: two-point shot attempts increased, and three-point shot attempts decreased

Summary

Introduction

Since its invention in 1891 [1], basketball has undergone many changes throughout its history. Changes in the rules and the development of new tactics have changed the nature of the game. There is no doubt that the three-point shot is one of the essential elements of the modern basketball game. A shot made from outside the three-point line is worth. 1.5 times as much as a shot made from inside the line; three-point shots have a significant impact on the game’s outcome. Changing the distance of the three-point line from the basket has been shown to alter the distribution of two- and three-point shot attempts in professional league games [2,3].

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