ORIGINAL RESEARCH article
Front. Psychol.
Sec. Movement Science
This article is part of the Research TopicWinning by Design: Technology-Integrated Learning, Performance, and Recovery in Team SportsView all 3 articles
Differential Shooting Training in Youth Basketball Players: An Analysis of Performance Effects
Provisionally accepted
- 1Vytauto Didziojo Universitetas, Kaunas, Lithuania
- 2University of Evora, Évora, Portugal
- 3Johannes Gutenberg Universitat Mainz, Mainz, Germany
- 4Universidade da Maia, Maia, Portugal
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Differential Learning introduces increased variability during practice to enhance motor skill acquisition. This study investigated the effects of Differential Training (DT) (Differential Training Group (DTG): n=19, age=13.1±0.19 years, height=170.1±9.5 cm, body mass=56.9±9.7 kg, training experience =6.4±1.3 years, maturity offset=0.7±0.8 years) on shooting accuracy and 1×1 small-sided game performance, compared to Traditional Training (TT) (Traditional Training Group (TTG): n=18, age=13.8±1.1 years, height=171.3±8.6 cm, body mass =59.4±15.4 kg, training experience =6.5±1.5 years, maturity offset =0.5±1.1 years), in youth basketball players for an 8-week intervention (16 sessions). Outcomes included 2-point (2-pts) and 3-point (3-pts) shooting accuracy test (BJSAT), 1×1 scoring performance, stationary shooting accuracy test (SSAT), and rate of perceived exertion (RPE). Linear mixed-model analyses revealed that DT improved two-point BJSAT relative to TT at post-test (β = −2.48; p = .042) and gains were maintained at retention (p = .001). Three-point BJSAT improved over time in both groups (p = .004) with no between-group difference at retention. 1×1 SSG scoring increased over time (p < .001) with no between-group effect at retention. DT outperformed TT in the 30-shot task (Δ = 3.11, 95% CI [1.59, 4.63]; p < .001) and elicited lower RPE (Δ = −0.96, 95% CI [−1.47, −0.46]; p < .001). These results indicate a superior efficacy of DT for improving shooting performance and managing perceived effort. The differential adaptation rates between mid-and long-range shooting highlight the value of movement variability in skill learning. However, limited transfer to SSG outcomes suggests further research is needed to optimize DT protocols for complex game contexts.
Keywords: movement variability, Shot accuracy, youth athlete development, Small-sided games, perceived exertion
Received: 19 Sep 2025; Accepted: 05 Nov 2025.
Copyright: © 2025 Burkaitė, Figueira, Schöllhorn, Coutinho and Paulauskas. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
* Correspondence: Bruno Figueira, bruno.figueira@uevora.pt
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