Gender-Specific Activity Demands Experienced During Semiprofessional Basketball Game Play
in International Journal of Sports Physiology and PerformanceClick name to view affiliation
Search for other papers by Aaron T. Scanlan in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed
Search for other papers by Ben J. Dascombe in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed
Search for other papers by Andrew P. Kidcaff in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed
Search for other papers by Jessica L. Peucker in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed
Search for other papers by Vincent J. Dalbo in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed
Purpose:
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.
Scanlan, Kidcaff, Peucker, and Dalbo are with the Human Exercise and Training Laboratory, Central Queensland University, Rockhampton, Australia. Dascombe is with the Applied Sports Science and Exercise Testing Laboratory, University of Newcastle, Ourimbah, Australia.
© 2023 Human Kinetics