{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,4,22]],"date-time":"2026-04-22T05:07:42Z","timestamp":1776834462613,"version":"3.51.2"},"reference-count":39,"publisher":"Frontiers Media SA","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,4,22]],"date-time":"2026-04-22T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1776816000000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["frontiersin.org"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["Front. Physiol."],"abstract":"<jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Introduction<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>Basketball competition imposes high physical demands on players. Quantifying the peak demands (PD) encountered is useful to identify the most intense passages of play, with more research needed to better understand factors that may impact PD. Therefore, this study aimed to examine the effects of season phase, match outcome, and a mid-season coaching change on PD in semi-professional, male basketball players.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Methods<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>Eleven players from a single team competing in the Spanish fourth division were monitored across 33 official matches during the 2021\u20132022 season. PlayerLoad\u2122 (PL) was measured using a validated local positioning system and analyzed across 30-s, 60-s, and 180-s rolling windows. Contextual variables included season phase (preseason, first half, second half, and promotion), match outcome (win and loss), and coaching change (before and after a mid-season change in head coach). Friedman and Wilcoxon tests were used to compare PD between conditions.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Results<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>Season phase significantly (p &amp;lt;0.05) influenced PD across all time windows (30 s, 60 s, and 180 s), with higher values observed during the pre-season and promotion phases compared to both halves of the regular season. PD over 180 s was also higher in the pre-season than in the promotion phase. Regarding match outcome, PD over 30 s was significantly greater in losses than in wins (p = 0.0049, large effect), while 60 s and 180 s windows showed non-significant, large trends in the same direction. No significant differences were found in PD before versus after the mid-season coaching change, suggesting no meaningful impact on these external demands.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Conclusion<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>These findings may help inform player training prescriptions and preparatory plans aligning with fluctuations in match demands across season phases.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.3389\/fphys.2026.1778157","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,4,22]],"date-time":"2026-04-22T04:33:05Z","timestamp":1776832385000},"update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3389\/crossmark-policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Peak external game demands are impacted by season phase but not match outcome or a mid-season coaching change in semi-professional, male basketball players"],"prefix":"10.3389","volume":"17","author":[{"given":"Abel","family":"Ruiz-\u00c1lvarez","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Facultad de Ciencias de la Actividad F\u00edsica y del Deporte, Universidad Polit\u00e9cnica de Madrid","place":["Madrid, Spain"]},{"name":"Facultad de Ciencias de la Vida y la Naturaleza, Universidad de Nebrija","place":["La Berzosa, Madrid, Spain"]}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Enrique","family":"Alonso-P\u00e9rez-Chao","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Faculty of Medicine, Health and Sports, Department of Sports Sciences, Universidad Europea de Madrid","place":["Madrid, Spain"]},{"name":"Department of Physical Activity and Sports Science, University Alfonso X el Sabio","place":["Madrid, Spain"]}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"\u00c1lvaro","family":"Bustamante-S\u00e1nchez","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Faculty of Medicine, Health and Sports, Department of Sports Sciences, Universidad Europea de Madrid","place":["Madrid, Spain"]},{"name":"Department of Sports, Exercise and Health Sciences, University of Tr\u00e1s-os-Montes and Alto Douro","place":["Vila Real, Portugal"]},{"name":"Research Center in Sport, Health and Human Development (CIDESD)","place":["Vila Real, Portugal"]}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Aaron T.","family":"Scanlan","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"School of Health, Medical, and Applied Sciences, Central Queensland University","place":["Rockhampton, QLD, Australia"]},{"name":"S.P.O.R.T. Research Cluster, Central Queensland University","place":["Rockhampton, QLD, Australia"]}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Miguel-Angel","family":"G\u00f3mez-Ruano","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Facultad de Ciencias de la Actividad F\u00edsica y del Deporte, Universidad Polit\u00e9cnica de Madrid","place":["Madrid, Spain"]}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"member":"1965","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,4,22]]},"reference":[{"key":"B1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.3390\/ijerph17072256","article-title":"Peak match demands in young basketball players: Approach and applications","volume":"17","author":"Alonso","year":"2020","journal-title":"Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health"},{"key":"B2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.3389\/fphys.2022.868009","article-title":"Fluctuations in external peak demands across quarters during basketball games","volume":"13","author":"Alonso P\u00e9rez-Chao","year":"2022","journal-title":"Front. Physiol."},{"key":"B3","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1177\/15579883211054353","article-title":"Higher playing times accumulated across entire games and prior to intense passages reduce the peak demands reached by elite, junior, male basketball players","volume":"15","author":"Alonso P\u00e9rez-Chao","year":"2021","journal-title":"Am. J. Mens Health"},{"key":"B4","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.3390\/app142210542","article-title":"Exploring external peak demands: the influence of contextual factors on male basketball players","volume":"14","author":"Antoranz","year":"2024","journal-title":"Appl. Sci."},{"key":"B5","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.3390\/sports13060179","article-title":"Understanding external peak demands in elite vs. non-elite male basketball players","volume":"13","author":"Antoranz","year":"2025","journal-title":"Sports"},{"key":"B6","article-title":"Chapter 4:Periodization and programming in team sport","volume-title":"NSCA\u2019s Essentials of Sport Science","author":"Buchheit","year":"2021"},{"key":"B7","first-page":"233","article-title":"Reliability and accuracy of 10 Hz GPS devices for short-distance exercise","volume":"10","author":"Castellano","year":"2011","journal-title":"J. Sports Sci. Med."},{"key":"B8","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"483","DOI":"10.5114\/biolsport.2021.101124","article-title":"The effects of defensive style and final game outcome on the external training load of professional basketball players","volume":"38","author":"Castillo","year":"2021","journal-title":"Biol. Sport"},{"key":"B9","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pone.0195197","article-title":"Assessing worst case scenarios in movement demands derived from global positioning systems during international rugby union matches: Rolling averages versus fixed length epochs","volume":"13","author":"Cunningham","year":"2018","journal-title":"PloS One"},{"key":"B10","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"173","DOI":"10.5114\/jhk\/166881","article-title":"External load monitoring in female basketball: A systematic review","volume":"88","author":"Espasa-Labrador","year":"2023","journal-title":"J. Hum. Kinet."},{"key":"B11","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1378","DOI":"10.1123\/IJSPP.2020-0448","article-title":"Not all about the effort? A comparison of playing intensities during winning and losing game quarters in basketball","volume":"16","author":"Fox","year":"2021","journal-title":"Int. J. Sports Physiol. Perform."},{"key":"B12","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"95","DOI":"10.5114\/BIOLSPORT.2021.102805","article-title":"Are acute player workloads associated with in-game performance in basketball","volume":"39","author":"Fox","year":"2022","journal-title":"Biol. Sport"},{"key":"B13","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.2519\/jospt.2020.9256","article-title":"How much? How fast? How soon? Three simple concepts for progressing training loads to minimize injury risk and enhance performance","volume":"50","author":"Gabbett","year":"2020","journal-title":"J. Orthopaedic Sports Phys. Ther"},{"key":"B14","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"394","DOI":"10.1136\/bjsports-2018-099995","article-title":"In pursuit of the unbreakable\u2019 athlete: What is the role of moderating factors and circular causation","volume":"53","author":"Gabbett","year":"2019","journal-title":"Br. J. Sports Med."},{"key":"B15","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"165","DOI":"10.2478\/hukin-2021-0070","article-title":"Average game physical demands and the most demanding scenarios of basketball competition in various age groups","volume":"79","author":"Garc\u00eda","year":"2021","journal-title":"J. Hum. Kinet."},{"key":"B16","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1473","DOI":"10.1123\/ijspp.2021-0511","article-title":"Relationship between game load and player\u2019s performance in professional basketball","volume":"17","author":"Garc\u00eda","year":"2022","journal-title":"Int. J. Sports Physiol. Perform."},{"key":"B17","first-page":"256","article-title":"Physical demands between game quarters and playing positions on professional basketball players during official competition","volume":"19","author":"Garc\u00eda","year":"2020","journal-title":"J. Sports Sci. Med."},{"key":"B18","first-page":"43","article-title":"Chapter 3: Periodization and programming for individual sports","volume-title":"NSCA\u2019s Essentials of Sport Science","author":"Haff","year":"2021"},{"key":"B19","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"600","DOI":"10.1016\/j.arcmed.2014.10.005","article-title":"50th anniversary of the declaration of helsinki: the double standard was introduced","volume":"45","author":"Hellmann","year":"2014","journal-title":"Arch. Med. Res."},{"key":"B20","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.3390\/s20133693","article-title":"Criterion validity of catapult clearsky T6 local positioning system for measuring inter-unit distance","volume":"20","author":"Hodder","year":"2020","journal-title":"Sensors"},{"key":"B21","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"37","DOI":"10.5114\/biolsport.2025.148537","article-title":"Exploring the most demanding scenarios in elite youth basketball: a comprehensive analysis across playing positions and time windows","volume":"42","author":"Irid","year":"2025","journal-title":"Biol. Sport"},{"key":"B22","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"538","DOI":"10.1123\/ijspp.2018-0093","article-title":"An integrated, multifactorial approach to periodization for optimal performance in individual and team sports","volume":"13","author":"Mujika","year":"2018","journal-title":"Int. J. Sports Physiol. Perform."},{"key":"B23","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.3389\/fspor.2022.970455","article-title":"Training and match demands differ between the regular season and finals in semi-professional basketball","volume":"4","author":"Palmer","year":"2022","journal-title":"Front. Sports Act. Living"},{"key":"B24","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"365","DOI":"10.5114\/biolsport.2023.116010","article-title":"Influence of game and quarter results on external peak demands during games in under-18 years, male basketball players","volume":"40","author":"P\u00e9rez-Chao","year":"2023","journal-title":"Biol. Sport"},{"key":"B25","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"231","DOI":"10.5114\/jhk\/170838","article-title":"A narrative review of the most demanding scenarios in basketball: current trends and future directions","volume":"89","author":"P\u00e9rez-Chao","year":"2023","journal-title":"J. Hum. Kinet."},{"key":"B26","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.3390\/ijerph17041456","article-title":"Comparing the external loads encountered during competition between elite, junior male and female basketball players","volume":"17","author":"Portes","year":"2020","journal-title":"Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health"},{"key":"B27","volume-title":"Designing and conducting survey research: a comprehensive guide","author":"Rea","year":"2014"},{"key":"B28","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"279","DOI":"10.1080\/02640414.2017.1300315","article-title":"Evaluating strategic periodisation in team sport","volume":"36","author":"Robertson","year":"2018","journal-title":"J. Sports Sci."},{"key":"B29","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1175","DOI":"10.1007\/s40279-021-01584-w","article-title":"Player profiling and monitoring in basketball: a delphi study of the most important non-game performance indicators from the perspective of elite athlete coaches","volume":"52","author":"Rogers","year":"2022","journal-title":"Sports Med."},{"key":"B30","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"81","DOI":"10.1007\/s40279-020-01375-9","article-title":"Measuring physical demands in basketball: an explorative systematic review of practices","volume":"51","author":"Russell","year":"2021","journal-title":"Sports Med."},{"key":"B31","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.3389\/fpsyg.2021.793216","article-title":"Quantifying training and game demands of a national basketball association season","volume":"12","author":"Russell","year":"2021","journal-title":"Front. Psychol."},{"key":"B32","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"35","DOI":"10.1080\/24748668.2024.2372905","article-title":"Analysing short-term training load distribution in elite European basketball: an exploration under six head coaches","volume":"25","author":"Salazar","year":"2024","journal-title":"Int. J. Perform. Anal. Sport"},{"key":"B33","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.3390\/ijerph17082812","article-title":"Differences in weekly load distribution over two euroleague seasons with a different head coach","volume":"17","author":"Salazar","year":"2020","journal-title":"Int. J. Environ. Res. Pub Health"},{"key":"B34","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"430","DOI":"10.1055\/a-2533-0917","article-title":"Contextual factors influencing basketball training and competition demands: a systematic review","volume":"46","author":"Sansone","year":"2025","journal-title":"Int. J. Sports Med."},{"key":"B35","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.3390\/s25010262","article-title":"Description and classification of training drills, based on biomechanical and physiological load, in elite basketball","volume":"25","author":"Sosa","year":"2025","journal-title":"Sensors"},{"key":"B36","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"111","DOI":"10.1007\/s40279-017-0794-z","article-title":"The activity demands and physiological responses encountered during basketball match-play: a systematic review","volume":"48","author":"Stojanovi\u0107","year":"2018","journal-title":"Sports Med."},{"key":"B37","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.3389\/fpsyg.2020.00552","article-title":"The most demanding scenarios of play in basketball competition from elite under-18 teams","volume":"11","author":"V\u00e1zquez-Guerrero","year":"2020","journal-title":"Front. Psychol."},{"key":"B38","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1551","DOI":"10.1080\/17461391.2020.1838618","article-title":"Is it enough to use the traditional approach based on average values for basketball physical performance analysis","volume":"21","author":"V\u00e1zquez-Guerrero","year":"2021","journal-title":"Eur. J. Sport Sci."},{"key":"B39","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"300","DOI":"10.1055\/a-1268-8791","article-title":"More than a metric: how training load is used in elite sport for athlete management","volume":"42","author":"West","year":"2021","journal-title":"Int. J. Sports Med."}],"container-title":["Frontiers in Physiology"],"original-title":[],"link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/www.frontiersin.org\/articles\/10.3389\/fphys.2026.1778157\/full","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2026,4,22]],"date-time":"2026-04-22T04:33:19Z","timestamp":1776832399000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/www.frontiersin.org\/articles\/10.3389\/fphys.2026.1778157\/full"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2026,4,22]]},"references-count":39,"alternative-id":["10.3389\/fphys.2026.1778157"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3389\/fphys.2026.1778157","relation":{},"ISSN":["1664-042X"],"issn-type":[{"value":"1664-042X","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2026,4,22]]},"article-number":"1778157"}}