The influence of fatigue on internal and external load using game-based drills in junior and adult male basketball players

Background: Fatigue demonstrated by decreasing performance seems to occur towards the ends of periods of matches and can lead to a win or loss of the match. Objective: This study aimed to assess the influence of fatigue on internal and external load using game-based drills in junior and adult male basketball players. Methods: A total of 50 elite basketball players participated in this study. Every participant was monitored by the Team Pro Polar system to find out heart rate and activity demands during a game-based drill. Mixed analysis of variance 2 x 4 was used. Results: Significant interactions between age category and playing quarter were found for distance covered (p = .001, eta(2)(p) = .25). Significant interactions between age category and playing quarter were found for relative time in zone 3 (running, p = .013, eta(2)(p) = .25) and zone 4 (high-intensity running, p = .004, eta(2)(p) = .34). When comparing the last three minutes of quarters, a significant main effect was found for playing quarter, when the distance covered (p = .001, eta(2)(p) = .47) significantly decreased. A significant main effect was found for playing quarter, whereby relative time spent in zone 3 (p = .012, eta(2)(p) = .09; quarter 1 vs. 4: p = .044) significantly increased, and in zone 4 decreased (p = .001, n: = .29, moderate effect; quarter 1 vs. 4: p = .010). When comparing heart rate and activity demands during the last three minutes of playing quarters, the significant main effect for the age category was found in distance covered (p = .004, eta(2)(p) = .27). It was greater in adult male players compared to junior players. Conclusions: The fatigue affects the distance covered, and intensity of activity demands during the last three minutes of quarters, but not the heart rate response of players.