The Roles of Growth, Maturation, Physical Fitness, and Technical Skills on Selection for a Portuguese Under-14 Years Basketball Team

Abstract

This study investigated the roles of growth, maturation, physical fitness, and technical skills on selection onto an under-14 years basketball team. The sample consisted of 150 male players, aged 13.3 ± 0.7 years, divided into selected (SE—top players chosen by coaching staff to form an elite regional team) and non-selected (NSE—remaining players) groups. Anthropometry, body composition, biological maturation, and training experience data were collected using standard procedures. Physical fitness was assessed using the Yo-Yo IE2, sit-ups, handgrip, squat jump, countermovement jump, 3 kg medicine ball throw, 20 m sprint, and T-Test. Technical skills were acquired using the American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation, and Dance (AAHPERD)’s basketball-specific test battery. Groups were compared using a Student’s t test and multivariate analysis of covariance (MANCOVA), with training experience and biological maturation as covariates. A forward stepwise discriminant function analysis was employed to identify variables that maximized the separation between groups. The results showed that SE players were taller, had greater fat-free mass, greater strength, power, and agility, and were technically more skillful compared with NSE players (p < 0.05) when controlling for training experience and maturation. It was also found that players were best discriminated by the 3 kg medicine ball throw and control dribble, revealing the importance of qualified training to achieve excellence in youth basketball. 92.7% of the basketballers were correctly classified into their original groups. It is therefore confirmed that the additional effects of training experience and biological maturation positively influenced the performance of young basketball players. We recommend that coaches focus not only on players’ body sizes, but also on their skill level, especially during adolescence, when selecting teams in order to promote sustainable long-term development.

Effects of Anthropometric Growth and Basketball Experience on Physical Performance in Pre-Adolescent Male Players

“…A positive association between strength and body size, increased BMI, and obesity, was reported in many studies [52,[62][63][64][65][66]. According to Guimarães et al [8], the medicine ball throw is very important in the selection of young athletes. In their study, one of the variables that best distinguished basketball players of different competitive levels was the medicine ball throw; therefore, they concluded that upper body explosive strength (linked to shooting, passing, and dribbling the ball) was one of the variables that magnified the differences among different group levels.…”

“…Even in the case of team sports, performance depends on different qualities, including body size, physical performance, and motor skills specific to each sport [6]. Basketball is one of the most popular team sports in the world [7] and elite players need high levels of strength, dexterity and speed [8][9][10][11], all of which require specific physical and anthropometric characteristics. In basketball, the importance of body size and body proportions, particularly concerning stature, arm span, and leg length, is well documented [6,[8][9][10]12].…”

“…Basketball is one of the most popular team sports in the world [7] and elite players need high levels of strength, dexterity and speed [8][9][10][11], all of which require specific physical and anthropometric characteristics. In basketball, the importance of body size and body proportions, particularly concerning stature, arm span, and leg length, is well documented [6,[8][9][10]12]. The physical performance markers can be important indicators of competitive success in young players [12] and anthropometric traits are fundamental for identifying and selecting talent.…”

“…In their study, Gonzalez et al (2013) [22] found that performance improved with the practice time by analyzing NBA players. [8] reported that years of experience provide the primary contribution to the variance in the technical skills tests. However, other studies in addition to that of Olvera et al [23] are needed to investigate the relationship between years of experience and performance, especially in young basketball players.…”

How Does Biological Maturation and Training Experience Impact the Physical and Technical Performance of 11–14-Year-Old Male Basketball Players?

“…Other studies found that systematic differences in the ability to jump and sprint, as well as an individual's anaerobic capacity, were important factors for individual and team success during competition [5,6]. In addition, it has been reported that young athletes´biological maturation may influence their physical performance [7][8][9].…”