Match Activities in Basketball Games: Comparison Between Different Competitive Levels
Authors: Diego Rucco
Xavi Schelling
Ermanno Rampinini
Davide Ferioli
Andrea Bosio
Antonio La Torre
Journal: Journal of strength and conditioning research (2020)
Discipline: CLINICAL MEDICINE
Keywords: basketball games; competitive levels; physical demands; time-motion analysis; high-intensity activity
Affiliations: Department of Biomedical Sciences for Health, University of Milan, Milan, Italy., Human Performance Laboratory, MAPEI Sport Research Center, Olgiate Olona, Varese, Italy., Institute of Sport, Exercise and Active Living, College of Sport and Exercise Science, Victoria University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia., IRCSS, Galeazzi Orthopedic Institute, Milan, Italy.

Abstract:  Ferioli, D, Schelling, X, Bosio, A, La Torre, A, Rucco, D, and Rampinini, E. Match activities in basketball games: comparison between different competitive levels. J Strength Cond Res 34(1): 172-182, 2020-This study examined the (a) differences in the activity demands of official basketball games between different competitive levels (from elite to amateur levels) among a large cohort of adult male players and (b) match-to-match variations of basketball physical demands. Video-based time-motion analysis (TMA) was performed to assess the players' physical activity among 136 players. Match-to-match variations were determined analyzing 2 consecutive matches of the same level on 35 players. The frequency of occurrence (n per minutes) and the duration in percentage of playing time were calculated for high-intensity activity (HIA), moderate-intensity activity (MIA), low-intensity activity (LIA), and recovery (REC). Division I performed an almost certain greater number of HIA, MIA, and total actions per minutes of playing time compared with Division II that performed similarly to Division III. Division VI performed a likely-to-very likely lower number of LIA, MIA, and total actions per minute compared with Division III. Division I spent almost certain greater playing time competing in HIA and MIA compared with lower divisions. Time spent at REC was very likely greater in Division VI compared with all other Divisions. The frequency of occurrence was less reliable than percentage duration of game activities. Matches of different competitive levels are characterized by different physical activities. The ability to sustain greater intermittent workloads and HIA, and the ability to quickly recover from high-intensity phases during competitions should be considered as key components of basketball. The match-to-match variations values observed in this study might be useful to correctly interpret individual TMA data. 

Retracted: No

PubPeer comments:
 In 2014, Alan Welch presented his work along with Emma Knight to the AIS where they looked into a method of statistics called Magnitude Based Inference (MBI). MBI has never been published in a statistical or mathematical journal but is heavily used by the sports science field. You can view the presentation here https: maths.anu.edu.au files AIS-slides.pdf . After presenting MBI was supposedly discontinued at the AIS after Alan and Emma showed the method to be fundamentally flawed. In 2018 a 538 article was written about MBI uptake within the sports science field. https: fivethirtyeight.com features how-shoddy-statistics-found-a-home-in-sports-research This article notes to further work was done by Kristin Sainani, showing that MBI has numerous issues. She gives reproducible mathematics to show this. https: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pubmed 29683920 In 2019 there was an article written in The Age talking about how still MBI is being used. https: www.smh.com.au national cold-water-poured-on-scientific-studies-based-on-statistical-cult-20191108-p538t6.html Clearly this paper uses a known fundamentally flawed method, it also references the excel spreadsheets which are hosted on Hopkins website which has no version control ,