### The Importance of Anaerobic Fitness Components in Basketball  
The game of basketball is characterized by short and intense bursts of activity combined with periods of low-intensity efforts or complete rest. Many basketball-related movements rely on anaerobic capabilities, such as short sprints, accelerations, decelerations, changes in direction, and horizontal and vertical jumps [6; 7; 8].  
Using modern technology, the actions of players can be tracked and monitored during the game [9; 10]. In a study on a basketball team in the Spanish premier league, researchers found that during one game, basketball players executed an average of 15 high-intensity actions [11]. These included about 2-3 sprints (3.5 m/s), 2 decelerations (3.5 m/s), 1 jump (>40 cm), and 8-10 changes of direction. Moreover, guards tended to perform more changes of direction than forwards or centers.  
In basketball, high running speeds are mainly required during the transition from offense to defense and vice versa, where players perform about 50-80 short-distance sprints during a game. In a study on Australian basketball players, researchers found that the players spent about 70-80% of the game running at low speeds (0-6 km/h), 10-15% at moderate speeds (6-19 km/h), and 5-10% at high running speeds that were greater than 19 km/h [12].  
When examining metabolic changes during a game, elite basketball players were found to accumulate 4-6 mill of lactate per 1 L of blood. Such findings suggest that the activation of the glycolytic-anaerobic energy system while playing basketball is insignificant, and the accumulation of lactate in muscles does not significantly limit the players' intense activities [13]. However, in basketball players, the contribution of the aerobic system is to the facilitating of quick actions during the game [2; 14].  
The aerobic system also plays a role in recovery between intense efforts [2; 15; 16]. In a study on youth basketball players, a correlation was seen between the predicted VO2 max and the players' performance in repeated sprints, with better aerobic capacity being linked to faster recovery [17]. Professional basketball players typically have a VO2 max of 50-60 mL/kg/min [15; 16], with shorter players often having higher aerobic capacities. During full games, players maintain an average of around 85% of their maximum heart rate [18].  
Muscle strength significantly affects athletes' acceleration capabilities. In a study on professional basketball players, improved strength (seen through the squat exercise test) resulted in improved 5 and 10 m sprint performance [19]. Moreover, combined strength training, which focuses on eccentric work among basketball players and others, was found to be crucial for improving explosiveness, agility, and direction change abilities. Due to their high relevance to the game of basketball, such training should be integrated into the training regimen of basketball players in general [20]. Yet trainers should note that prolonged submaximal strength training sessions could lead to increased muscle mass and decreased explosive power [1; 20; 21; 22]--which could hinder, rather than improve, acceleration, agility, and maximum speed in athletes.  
Finally, the significance of explosive strength in basketball was highlighted in a review article, whereby a strong relationship was seen between explosive strength and most actions performed by basketball players on the court, such as sprints, direction changes, stops, and jumps [1; 2; 3; 4]. Players with a stronger lower body were found to possess better explosive power and, therefore, minimize ground-contact time--while still producing maximal eccentric force in subsequent jumps, allowing them to secure rebounds faster [23]. Consequently, it is crucial that attention is paid to players' explosive strength during training, as this could contribute to the efficient performance of players on the court [1; 3].