Small-sided game training improves aerobic capacity and technical skills in basketball players

The aim of this study was to compare the effects of 2 training interventions based on small-sided games (SGG) and high-intensity interval training (HIT) on physical and technical performance of male junior basketball players. A secondary objective was to investigate if these effects were similar in starting and bench players. 18 players participated in a pre-testing session, 6-weeks intervention period and a post-testing session. Pre- and post-sessions involved assessments of aerobic fitness, repeated sprint ability (RSA), defensive and offensive agility, upper and lower body power, shooting and passing skills. Mixed-design analysis of variance (ANOVA) with Bonferroni corrected pairwise comparisons examined the effects of time and type of intervention on physical and technical performances. The main results showed that both interventions resulted in similar improvements in aerobic capacity (+3.4% vs. +4.1%), with greater improvements in bench players compared to starting players (+7.1% vs. +1.1%, P<0.05). However, RSA was unchanged after both interventions. In addition, compared to HIT, SSG resulted in greater improvements in defensive agility (+4.5% vs. -2.7%, P<0.05), shooting skills (+7.4% vs. -2.4%, P<0.05) and upper body power (+7.9% vs. -2.0%, P<0.05). These results suggest that SSG should be prioritized in physical conditioning of junior basketball players during the season. However, when RSA is targeted, more specific training seems necessary.