Physical performance differences between young Portuguese male and female basketball players according to chronological and biological age

Abstract This study compared the physical performance differences between young Portuguese male and female basketball players according to chronological and biological age. Furthermore, it also aimed to establish physical reference values. Sixty-nine Portuguese basketball players from four age categories (U14 males [U14M], U14 females [U14F], U16 males [U16M], and U16 females [U16F]) performed the 20-m sprint, countermovement jump, V-Cut change of direction, 3-kg medicine ball throw, and lane agility test. Maturity offset (pre-, mid-, and post-peak height velocity [PHV]) was estimated using sex-specific equations. A one-way ANOVA with post-hoc Bonferroni tests analyzed the differences between age categories (U14 vs. U16) and maturity offset (mid-PHV vs. post-PHV) in physical variables. The 10th, 25th, 50th, 75th, and 90th percentiles were calculated for each physical variable. The U16M outperformed the U14M, U14F, and U16F in all physical tests ( p < 0.001), and the U16F had better sprint and change of direction times than the U14F ( p < 0.001). No differences between U14M vs. U14F/U16F were found. The post-PHV male group outperformed mid-PHV males/females and post-PHV females in all physical tests ( p < 0.001), while mid-PHV males threw the medicine ball further than the mid-PHV and post-PHV females ( p < 0.001). This study reinforced that physical performance differences between young basketball players increase with chronological age, although some differences seem to be attenuated depending on the maturational stage, especially in females. Coaches can follow the physical reference values provided in this study to identify potential talent, design training programs, define competitive goals, and monitor physical changes over time in young basketball players.