Average and peak external demands according to opposition quality and opposition pace across a full season in semi-professional, male basketball players

The aim of this study was to quantify and compare the average external intensity and peak external demands experienced by basketball players between games facing opposition teams of different qualities and playing paces. External load variables were monitored in 11 semi-professional, male basketball players across 26 official games during a full in-season. Inertial movement units were used to measure average Player Load™ per minute (PL·min−1) across entire games and peak PL across any 30-s, 1-min, and 3-min epoch during games. Linear mixed models and Cohen’s d effect sizes were used to compare variables between games facing opposition teams clustered as low, medium or high quality (based on final season ranking) and playing pace (based on average number of possessions per game throughout the season). Significantly lower average PL·min−1 were apparent when playing high (p = 0.02) and medium-quality opponents (p 0.05), trivial differences in peak PL between opponents of different qualities. Likewise, non-significant (p > 0.05) trivial – small differences were observed in average PL·min−1 and peak PL between opponents with different average playing paces. Playing higher-ranking opponents may reduce the average physical demands; however, opponent pace appears to exert minimal impact on average and peak external game demands.