Author(s): ZHANG, S., LI, M., GU, L., WANG, X., Institution: TSINGHUA UNIVERSITY, Country: CHINA, Abstract-ID: 1504

INTRODUCTION:
Tracking the dynamics of game loads across quarters is crucial for coaches; however, a significant limitation in existing research is the lack of integration between dynamic inter-period changes and positional specificity. While some studies consider player positions, they often fail to account for temporal dynamics across game periods. Conversely, research focusing on inter-period variations typically overlooks the distinction between player positions. Therefore, further investigation to bridge this gap is essential. This study aims to examine between- and within-quarter variations in physical loads during basketball games, exploring their interrelationships and considering the influence of contextual factors on the load profiles experienced by backcourt and frontcourt players.
METHODS:
A total of 16 professional male basketball players (8 backcourt, 8 frontcourt) from the Chinese National Basketball League were recruited. External load was assessed using Catapult S7 devices, capturing PlayerLoad and Inertial Movement Analysis (IMA) variables. Internal load was measured using the session rating of perceived exertion (sRPE) method. Opponent quality, match outcome, and scoring margin (contextual factors) were incorporated into the analysis. Data were analyzed using linear mixed-effects models and repeated-measures correlation analyses.
RESULTS:
Frontcourt players exhibited more pronounced fluctuations in sRPE (F=3.378; p < 0.05) and IMA changes of direction (COD) left (F=4.409; p < 0.01) from the first quarter to the fourth quarter. In contrast, backcourt players demonstrated more stable between-quarter changes but showed larger within-quarter load variations, including higher IMA jump medium in the first three quarters (p < 0.01), and greater IMA accelerations (ACC) (p < 0.05) and decelerations (DEC) (p < 0.01) in the second and fourth quarters compared to frontcourt players. Medium to large (r = 0.41–0.62) correlations were observed between sRPE and PlayerLoad as well as total jumps across quarters for backcourt players. For frontcourt players, sRPE showed medium to large correlations (r = 0.45–0.72) with PlayerLoad, IMA COD, and IMA high jumps across quarters. Backcourt players reported higher sRPE during winning games compared to losing games (ES = 0.34; p < 0.05).
CONCLUSION:
The study reveals distinct game load patterns for backcourt and frontcourt basketball players, with frontcourt players experiencing greater physical and perceptual fluctuations across the game, while backcourt players exhibit more consistent between-quarter loads but larger within-quarter variations. The higher sRPE reported by backcourt players during winning games suggests the influence of contextual factors on perceptual measures. These findings underscore the importance of position-specific training strategies that optimally prepare backcourt and frontcourt players for the specific game loads.