Free throw technical analysis and its relationship with success in under-12 basketball players

Abstract

The aim of this study was to determine the free throw technique and successful free throw technique both prior toballreleaseandatballreleasemomentsinunder-12basketball,usingacourt-appliedtest.Theparticipantswere102players fromeightmaleunder-12officiallyfederatedbasketballteams.Weusedapoint/ideographic/multidimensionalobservational design to analyse the recordings of 612 free throws.The test consisted of performing one, two or three free throws. One participantperformedthefreethrowsandtheotherpassedtheballtohim.Theroleswereexchangeduntilthetwoparticipants performedallthefreethrowoptions.Asaresult,theparticipantsdidnotexecutethefreethrowusingthetechniqueproposed by the literature.This difference was because jumping free throws shoots, with low style, feet at the same distance, and moderate forward displacement of the centre of mass predominated.The free throw technique was in general more regular than that of the successful free throws. Players used an unregulated technique, without meeting the criteria that activate success in the free throw.This technique resulted attempting successful free throws at 4 m from the basket,which is 2.60 m high,witha485-gball.Takingintoaccountthecharacteristicsoftheparticipantsofthepresentworkintermsofage,strength, maturity,height,weight,andbodymassindex,coachesandthecompetitionmanagersshouldassesswhatshouldbeimproved in under-12 basketball to allow players to increase free throw success.