<b>Monitoring in basketball: the use of a principal component analysis</b> - DOI: 10.4025/reveducfis.v20i1.5145

Abstract

A principal component analysis (PCA) was performed in order to identify the principal components summarizing the investigated variables (vertical jump with and without countermovement, horizontal jump, horizontal consecutive triple jump – right and left side, 20-m run test, square test, 20-m shuttle run, stature, arm spam, body mass and body fat). Twenty sub-17 male basketball players (16,4 ±0,7 yr) from Brazilian team were evaluated. The first principal component (PC) was associated with the speed-strength and speed-agility variables, accounting for 61,7% of the total variance, while the second PC was associated with body size, contributing with 15,8% of the variation. The results indicate that the PCA model may be a useful tool to monitoring training processes of elite young basketball players and appers to be a good candidate to understand the specific structure of talent development.