Effect of Transition and Fast-Break Training on Fatigue Delay, Blood Lactate Levels, and Offensive Skill Performance in Young Basketball Players

Basketball is defined as a high intensity sport which significantly depends on an anaerobic energy system, specifically its phosphagen and lactate components, especially during very fast transitions from the offensive phase to defensive failure and vice versa. These scenarios involve continuous accelerations/decelerations coupled with accurate actions under time constraints. The relevance of these requests is even higher for under-18 players, as they are at a special stage (against the above-mentioned physical and physiological development) directly affecting the capacity to resist fatigue and keep performance levels in the 2nd half during competition. This accumulation of lactic acid leads to an erosion in muscle strength, transition time and technical accuracy. The inclusion of ball transition and fast break type drills as part of training sessions is thought to be appropriate for improving anaerobic capacity, cardiorespiratory efficiency, basic offensive skills (dribbling, passing and shooting), lactic acid release/accumulation and delaying the appearance of metabolic shutdown (physiological fatigue). Research has also shown that this type of training lends itself to the production of concurrent gains in both physical and technical performance, thus aiding young players in generating and maintaining high levels of play at various moments in the game — particularly when it counts most on offense, and this achieves one of the sustainable development goals of the United Nations in Iraq which is (Good Health).