{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,27]],"date-time":"2026-07-27T07:00:48Z","timestamp":1785135648738,"version":"3.55.0"},"reference-count":37,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"3","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,26]],"date-time":"2026-07-26T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1785024000000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["J. Funct. Morphol. Kinesiol.","JFMK"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Background: This study investigates the psychophysiological stress profiles of professional basketball players by simultaneously analyzing two distinct neuroendocrine pathways: the sympathetic\u2013adrenal\u2013medullary (SAM) system, via salivary alpha-amylase (AA), and the hypothalamic\u2013pituitary\u2013adrenal (HPA) axis, via salivary cortisol (C). While competitive environments are known to elicit significant stress, the interaction between game-specific variables\u2014such as playing time (PT) and tactical position\u2014and those biomarkers remains insufficiently explored in real-time, official match settings. Methods: Twelve professional male basketball players were monitored across four official matches. Salivary samples were collected, and stress biomarkers (AA and C) were analyzed at three timepoints: pre-match, half-time, and post-match. Results: Results indicate that stress responses are non-uniform and highly context-dependent. A significant spike in AA was observed during the first match (p &lt; 0.001; ES = 0.82; 95% CI \u22120.01\u20131.66), where concentrations rose from a pre-match mean of 247.9 \u00b1 232.59 U\/mL to a post-match peak of 674.39 \u00b1 693.33 U\/mL. Cortisol responses did not vary significantly across matches but exhibited a strong positive correlation with PT (p = 0.01; R = 0.76), identifying that C may serve as a primary marker of individual physical workload. Positional analysis revealed significant divergence in HPA activation; guards (0.55 \u00b1 0.31 \u00b5g\/dL) and centers (0.51 \u00b1 0.22 \u00b5g\/dL) exhibited higher cortisol levels compared to forwards (0.24 \u00b1 0.18 \u00b5g\/dL), reflecting the high cognitive\/decision-making load of guards and the mechanical\/physical contact load of centers. Conclusions: The observed differences in AA and C liberation suggest that stress responses during matches are influenced by a complex interaction of physiological and psychological stimuli characteristic of competitive basketball. Consequently, these findings indicate the importance and value of a dual-biomarker approach which might provide a framework for optimized training load management and recovery protocols in elite basketball.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/jfmk11030293","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,27]],"date-time":"2026-07-27T05:49:27Z","timestamp":1785131367000},"page":"293","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Stress Dynamics in a Basketball Game: Examining Stressors, Game-Specific Factors, and Players\u2019 Positions"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"11","author":[{"given":"Ivan","family":"Perasovi\u0107","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Faculty of Kinesiology, University of Split, 21000 Split, Croatia"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Antonela Karmen","family":"Ivi\u0161i\u0107","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Faculty of Kinesiology, University of Split, 21000 Split, Croatia"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-1259-6230","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Dario","family":"Vrdoljak","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"School of Health & Exercise Sciences, University of British Columbia, Okanagan Campus, Kelowna, BC V1V 1V7, Canada"},{"name":"Centre for Heart, Lung and Vascular Health, University of British Columbia, Okanagan Campus, Kelowna, BC V1V 1V7, Canada"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Nikola","family":"Foreti\u0107","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Faculty of Kinesiology, University of Split, 21000 Split, Croatia"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Vladimir","family":"Pavlinovi\u0107","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Faculty of Kinesiology, University of Split, 21000 Split, Croatia"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-3345-6293","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Ratko","family":"Peri\u0107","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Exercise Physiology, Orthopaedic Clinic Orthosport, 78000 Banja Luka, Bosnia and Herzegovina"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-3584-9381","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Mia","family":"Peri\u0107","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Faculty of Kinesiology, University of Split, 21000 Split, Croatia"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0009-6601-4556","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Zoran","family":"Nikolovski","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Faculty of Kinesiology, University of Split, 21000 Split, Croatia"},{"name":"High Performance Sport Center, Croatian Olympic Committee, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,26]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"873","DOI":"10.1152\/physrev.00041.2006","article-title":"Physiology and neurobiology of stress and adaptation: Central role of the brain","volume":"87","author":"McEwen","year":"2007","journal-title":"Physiol. 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