Ivan Svoboda’s scientific contributions

For basketball technique elements to become stable and automated, the technique must be executed correctly from the initial stages of the learning process. The jump shot is considered the most crucial shooting action, equally effective in various on-court situations. Ideal techniques may not unconditionally be the best for every player because they differ in motor and morphological characteristics. One of the shooting methods is shot with one hand from the spot, which, in terms of complexity and required motor abilities, is at a lower level of demand when compared to the jump shot. The first aim of this research is to define the kinematic pattern of the jump shot and the shot with one hand from the spot and determine if there are differences between them. The second aim is to establish whether there is a significant difference in the level of motor skills between the two groups. The participant sample consists of 29 junior basketball players. They were divided into two groups: G1 = players who perform the shot with one hand from the spot (N = 14); G2 = players who execute the jump shot (N = 15). MANOVA was used to determine the differences in observed kinematic parameters between the group and in the measured tests assessing motor abilities. The kinematic parameters of the upper extremities, the parameters of the basketball player’s take-off, and the angle of the ball’s impact were analyzed. It was determined that the kinematic pattern of these two shooting techniques significantly differs (F = 12.86, p = 0.00). There was a statistically significant difference between the group of participants performing the jump shot and the group performing the one-handed chest shot from the spot (F = 5.51, p = 0.00) in motor ability tests. The group that performed the jump shot showed significantly better results in three of the five measured tests (PLANK, MED_THR, POL_BACK). Shooting with one hand from the spot is a technically correct shooting method recommended to be performed until the player possesses a certain level of motor skills that enables proper execution of the jump shot.

The main objective of this research was to determine whether progressive physiological load affects changes in certain kinematic parameters while performing jump shots in basketball. This study primarily examined the effect of fatigue on changes in angular velocities of joints of the lower and upper extremities, however, the relationship of the mentioned parameters in terms of the ultimate outcome, i.e. the duration of the shot, as well as the precision of the shot were likewise studied. The research included one examinee who is a member of the Croatian U18 Men's National Team. The study incorporated a precisely determined protocol according to which the following parameters were determined: angles of the knee and hip joint at the moment of receiving the ball, maximum and average angular velocity in the ankle, knee, hip, shoulder, elbow and wrist joint, height at the moment of releasing the ball, duration of the shot, angle at which the ball enters the basket and shooting percentage. The obtained results indicate certain differences in angular velocities of the upper and lower extremities, as well as in the height at the moment of releasing the ball under the influence of progressive fatigue. Kinematic parameters affecting the ball (duration of the shot and the angle at which the ball enters the basket) demonstrated no significant variations, however there was a significant change of the shooting percentage.