Small-Side Games (SSG) and Conventional Training: How It Affects the Improvement of Shooting Ability of Young Basketball Athletes?

This study aims to see the effect of improving the shooting ability of young basketball athletes using small-side games (SSG) and conventional training. Methods: This study was conducted on 42 young male basketball athletes from West Sumatra who were randomly divided into two research groups: SSG n = 21 people and conventional methods n = 21 people. The study was completed over 12 weeks, where in one week, there were 4 training sessions, and each session was separated by 1 day of recovery. Young West Sumatra basketball athletes with an average age of 14.6 years, an average height of 177.5 cm, and an average body weight of 74.2 kg are trained athletes who attend training on average 3-5 times a week. Results: Based on the data analysis that has been done, the results show a significant difference between the SSG training method and the conventional training method in improving the shooting ability of young West Sumatra basketball athletes (p = 0.000 <0.05). Athletes trained with the SSG training method have an average increase in shooting ability of 10.7, while the average increase in shooting ability of athletes trained with conventional methods is 6.14. Conclusion: Based on the research findings, the two methods used are complementary. This means conventional training can provide a strong foundation in basic shooting techniques, while SSG enriches these skills with a more dynamic game experience. Therefore, combining these two approaches is recommended to maximize the development of shooting ability in young basketball athletes in West Sumatra.