Half Court Research Articles

Optimising technical skills and physical loading in small-sided basketball games

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.

Effect of Swim Sprints on Throwing Accuracy and Velocity in Female Collegiate Water Polo Players

Swim sprints are a central component of water polo competitions; however, a paucity of data describes the effect of repeated swim sprints on game-like performances. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of repeated swim sprints on water polo throwing velocity and accuracy. Eleven female community college water polo players (age: 18.91 +/- 1.04 years, height: 165.91 +/- 4.69 cm, and mass: 70.22 +/- 15.36 kg) performed 2 conditions: control and sprint. The control condition consisted of 10 shots at the 5-m line, each with a 35-second rest period and aimed at a specific target on the goal. The sprint condition also had the same 10 shots but included a sprint between each throwing attempt. The sprints consisted of "head-down" swimming from the 2-m line to half court, then "head-up" swimming from half court to the 5-m line where the ball was shot and aimed at a specific target on the goal. Analysis was performed on ball velocity and accuracy between conditions. Ball velocity in the control condition (26.01 +/- 3.13 mph) was significantly (p < 0.05) greater than the sprint condition (25.08 +/- 2.76 mph); however, there was no significant difference in accuracy (shots made; 3.00 +/- 1.67; Sprint: 2.45 +/- 1.03). These results indicate that ball velocity decreases in female collegiate water polo players after repeated swim sprints when compared with a control condition, yet accuracy is unaffected. Therefore, coaches should incorporate "game-like" conditions during practice that include repeated sprints--while focusing on maintaining high velocity to promote goal scoring.

The Physical and Physiological Demands of Basketball Training and Competition

To characterize the physical and physiological responses during different basketball practice drills and games. Male basketball players (n=11; 19.1+/-2.1 y, 1.91+/-0.09 m, 87.9+/-15.1 kg; mean+/-SD) completed offensive and defensive practice drills, half court 5on5 scrimmage play, and competitive games. Heart rate, VO2, and triaxial accelerometer data (physical demand) were normalized for individual participation time. Data were log-transformed and differences between drills and games standardized for interpretation of magnitudes and reported with the effect size (ES) statistic. There was no substantial difference in the physical or physiological variables between offensive and defensive drills; physical load (9.5%; 90% confidence limits+/-45); mean heart rate (-2.4%; +/-4.2); peak heart rate (-0.9%; +/-3.4); and VO2 (-5.7%; +/-9.1). Physical load was moderately greater in game play compared with a 5on5 scrimmage (85.2%; +/-40.5); with a higher mean heart rate (12.4%; +/-5.4). The oxygen demand for live play was substantially larger than 5on5 (30.6%; +/-15.6). Defensive and offensive drills during basketball practice have similar physiological responses and physical demand. Live play is substantially more demanding than a 5on5 scrimmage in both physical and physiological attributes. Accelerometers and predicted oxygen cost from heart rate monitoring systems are useful for differentiating the practice and competition demands of basketball.

The physics of basketball

Drain three pointers, slam dunk easily, and sink that buzzer beater from half court with help of simple science. Your coach, physicist John J. Fontanella, shows how you can improve your game if you take advice from Isaac Newton. As you read, relive some of great moments in game-this time with a scientist and diehard basketball fan as your color analyst. Find out why you ought to put spin on ball. Get tips on how to improve your free throw and increase your percentage from charity stripe. You'll even learn how to shatter backboard, if that's something you've always dreamed of doing. With photographs and simple high school formulas, physics professor Fontanella-who played in college against Pittsburgh and Syracuse-reveals key pieces of physics that underscore basketball. He covers almost every aspect of game, weaving in stories from games he's played and games he's seen, and tales from basketball history and folklore. Physics comes alive as you see how Kobe Bryant, Wilt the Stilt Chamberlain, Michael Jordan, Becky Hammon, and J. J. Reddick do naturally things that Isaac Newton says they should.

Defensive systems in basketball ball possessions.

The aim of the present study was to analyse the importance of defensive systems used by winning and losing basketball teams in their ball possessions, trying to study their influence in the offensive success. To achieve this, 1450 ball possessions were registered from 8 close games (final score differences below 12 points) of the Spanish Basketball Play-offs series, from the 2004-2005 season. The ball possessions were registered by systematic observation with Cohen’s Kappa for each observational category coefficients >0.90; the variables registered were: final classification (winner and loser), type of defensive system (man-to-man half court, man-to-man pressure, zone in half court, zone pressure and mixed), points scored, number of passes and duration per ball possession. Statistical analysis used were Crosstabs commands, nonparametric χ2 (chi-square) test and a Student t-test for independent samples. The results showed these main conclusions: a) The winning teams made more ball possessions versus different types of defensive systems (mixed, zone pressure, man-to-man pressure) than losing teams; while the last ones generally made their ball possessions versus man-to-man and zone in half court ; b) The winners got more points scored per ball possession versus different defensive systems, while the losers usually made their ball possessions without scoring versus half court defensive systems (zone and man—to-man); c) The winning teams made more number of passes and spent more time duration their possessions of the ball versus different defensive systems than losing teams. This profile helps the coach to prepare practices and tasks to this specificity of defensive systems, and allow him to be ready to control these variables during the game in special situations like play-off series.

A social-constructivist approach in physical education: Influence of dyadic interactions on tactical choices in an instructional team sport setting

The purpose of this study was to analyze the role of dyadic verbal peer interactions in a team sport such as handball. Participants, 20 boys and 20 girls aged between 11 and 12, were assigned to two learning condition groups. The task was an instructional setting in team handball (2 attackers against 1 defender in each half court). The experimental group with verbal exchanges was expected to obtain higher performances in the post-tests than those who had not interacted verbally between playing sequences. The secondary objective was to investigate whether dyadic gender had an effect on tactical choice and cognitive skills in playing games. The experiment demonstrated the superiority of the dyadic verbal interaction group over the non-interactive group as regards tactical choices and action projects. It also showed gender differences since males performed better females with regard to action efficiency. The results are discussed within the theoretical framework of the social psychology of acquisition and development and within that of teaching for understanding. In conclusion, the socio-constructivist approach would seem to be pertinent in team sport decision-making tasks.