Effect of Structured Motor Skill Training on Dribbling Performance and Shooting Accuracy among University Basketball Players

Abstract

Dribbling and shooting are some of the essential skills in basketball performance and competencies in these training styles have not been properly explored concerning the competencies development in basketball of players of college level. This research project looked at how a 12-week formal motor skills based training program would impact on the ability of university basketball players to perform better in dribbling and shooting. A random selection of 50 male university basketball players (mean age: 20.9 ±1.7 years; basketball experience: 6.303 years) was chosen and separated into an experimental group (n=25), which was trained to specific motor skills three times a week, and a control group (n=25), which was trained according to regular training of the team. Dribbling performance was measured by using Illinois Agility Dribbling Test, Defensive Dribing Test, and Control Dribble Test with a baseline level, post intervention level tests (week 12) and retention (week 16) with data measuring shooting accuracy using the free throw, mid-range, three-point, and game-simulation shooting tests. The data were interpreted with the help of the two-way mixed ANOVA with repeated measurements, and the calculation of the effect sizes was done with help of fractional eta squared and Cohen d. All dribbling measures (11.2-14.8% improvement, d = 1.52-2.03, p < 0.001) showed a considerable amount of improvement (57.9% reduction in the number of ball-handling errors) in the experimental group over controls. Improvements in shooting accuracy were (significant) (14.2 percentage point) in free throws ( d = 1.35), (30.8)% in the accuracy of mid-range shooting, and (33.7)% in the accuracy of shooting in game-simulation (all p < 0.001,  eta p 2 = 0.31-0.43). There was a significant group x time interaction with all the variables concerning performance (F-values between 19.73 to 34.56, all p < 0.001), and the experimental group was maintaining around 93-97 of the improvement in matters of performance at four weeks follow-up. There were moderate positive correlations between dribbling and improvements and dynamic shooting accuracy (r =0.52, p=0.009). Organized training of motor skills yields significant and long-term changes in dribbling behaviour and shooting efficiency in university basketball players, and the effect size is considerable, larger than those traditionally found in powered training. These results justify the incorporation of systematic, progressive development of skills training into the university basketball programs and emphasizes the need to have introduction of basic skills development to the experienced collegiate players. The training impacts found their way into game-like scenarios and lasted long therapy promoting the idea of stable motor learning in contrast to short-last performance improvement.