Evaluation of Basketball-Specific Agility: Applicability of Preplanned and Nonplanned Agility Performances for Differentiating Playing Positions and Playing Levels

Abstract

Sekulic, D, Pehar, M, Krolo, A, Spasic, M, Uljevic, O, Calleja-González, J, and Sattler, T. Evaluation of basketball-specific agility: applicability of preplanned and nonplanned agility performances for differentiating playing positions and playing levels. J Strength Cond Res 31(8): 2278-2288, 2017-The importance of agility in basketball is well known, but there is an evident lack of studies examining basketball-specific agility performances in high-level players. The aim of this study was to determine the reliability and discriminative validity of 1 standard agility test (test of preplanned agility [change-of-direction speed] over T course, T-TEST), and 4 newly developed basketball-specific agility tests, in defining playing positions and performance levels in basketball. The study comprised 110 high-level male basketball players (height: 194.92 ± 8.09 cm; body mass: 89.33 ± 10.91 kg; age: 21.58 ± 3.92 years). The variables included playing position (Guard, Forward, Center), performance level (first division vs. second division), anthropometrics (body height, body mass, and percentage of body fat), T-TEST, nonplanned basketball agility test performed on dominant (BBAGILdom) and nondominant sides (BBAGILnond), and a preplanned (change-of-direction speed) basketball agility test performed on dominant (BBCODSdom) and nondominant sides (BBCODSnond). The reliability of agility tests was high (intraclass correlation coefficient of 0.81-0.95). Forwards were most successful in the T-TEST (F test: 13.57; p = 0.01). Guards outperformed Centers in BBCODSdom, BBCODSndom, BBAGILdom, and BBAGILnond (F test: 5.06, p = 0.01; 6.57, 0.01; 6.26, 0.01; 3.37, 0.04, respectively). First division Guards achieved better results than second division Guards in BBCODSdom (t: 2.55; p = 0.02; moderate effect size differences), BBAGILdom, and BBAGILnond (t: 3.04 and 3.06, respectively; both p = 0.01 and moderate effect size differences). First division Centers outperformed second division Centers in BBAGILdom (t: 2.50; p = 0.02; moderate effect size differences). The developed basketball-specific agility tests are applicable when defining position-specific agility. Both preplanned and nonplanned agilities are important qualities in differentiating between Guards of 2 performance levels. The results confirmed the importance of testing basketball-specific nonplanned agility when evaluating the performance level of Centers.

Does Acute Beetroot Juice Supplementation Improve Neuromuscular Performance and Match Activity in Young Basketball Players? A Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Study

“…Although we did not find any differences regarding the players' specific position, it might be arguable that individual physical characteristics may influence their improvements. Particularly in team sports like basketball, players have well-defined roles that requires specific and distinctive physical attributes [32,33,56]; hence, a different response to BJ supplementation can be expected. In this sense, it can be arguable that athletic and explosive players (e.g., guards or forwards) would have greater benefits.…”

“…Likewise, the effects of acute BJ supplementation in neuromuscular functional performance like jumping capacity has been scarcely investigated and with controversial results [28,29]. Furthermore, there are no studies on the effects of BJ on change of direction speed, despite being considered an essential ability for success in team sports [30][31][32].…”

Decisive Factors for a Greater Performance in the Change of Direction and Its Angulation in Male Basketball Players

“…This could have been explained mainly by a better balance in the f–v profile of senior athletes and the relationship of this balance with changes in direction as the cut angle increased, in addition to the greater amount of lean mass in senior athletes. Similarly, for agility, it has been seen that reactive agility discriminates between basketball players of different levels [ 9 , 10 ], but that planned agility does not. The latter contradicts our results, but this may be due to the sample used or the type of COD test evaluated.…”

“…Finally, COD and agility movements are multidimensional skills involving numerous variables to produce a faster performance [ 4 ] and its performance depends on the specific sport and position [ 10 ], making it challenging to asses these variables all at once. Despite the usefulness of these findings, the present study has some limitations that should be addressed.…”

“…Among them, technical, anthropometric, and physical factors stand out [ 4 ], with both linear velocity and muscular activity of the lower limbs through strength and power being of particular relevance [ 8 ]. Based on previous evidence, all of these factors might vary between basketball players of different age categories or playing levels [ 9 , 10 ]. Although many studies have focused on COD and its relation to physical performance, to our knowledge no studies have examined all these variables simultaneously in one, same sample, which would allow analysis of the real influence of each parameter upon COD.…”