Jaime Sampaio *, Sergio José Ibañez **, Miguel Angel Gomez ***, Alberto Lorenzo *** and Enrique Ortega ****
(*) Sport Sciences Department, University of Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro, Portugal
(**) Faculty of Sport Sciences, University of Extremadura, Spain
(***) Faculty of Physical Activity and Sport Sciences, Polytechnic University of Madrid, Spain
(****) Department of Physical Activity and Sport Science. Catholic University of Saint Anthony. Murcia, Spain
Citation
Sampaio, J., José Ibañez, S., Angel Gomez, M., Lorenzo, A., Ortega, E. (2008). Game location influences basketball players’ performance across playing positions. International Journal of Sport Psychology, 39(3), 205-216.
Abstract
Home advantage in sport has been the subject of much empirical work, although the causes underlying this effect are still unclear. In team sports such as Basketball, available literature has analyzed home versus away performances at a team level. The present study investigated the presence of home advantage at the level of the individual player’s position. It also attempted to identify a subset of game-related statistics that could discriminate home and away performances according to each player’s position. To achieve these aims, archival data were obtained from 225 games for the 2004-2005 Euroleague. Players were subdivided so that the “point guards” and “offguards” were pooled as guards (n=493), the “small forwards” and “power forwards” were grouped as forwards (n=485) and the centres (n=233). A 2x3 (game location: home and away; playing position: guards, forwards and centres) factorial MANOVA followed by a discriminant analysis was performed. For the guards, the discriminant function was significant and the game-related statistics that differentiated most home and away performances were the successful two point field-goals, defensive rebounds, assists, steals, blocks and committed fouls. The forwards’ home and away performances were discriminated by successful freethrows, assists, steals, blocks and committed fouls. The function for centres was non significant. Results suggested a differential effect of home advantage in basketball players by role in the team, with guards from home teams playing more assertively, whereas in away teams forwards played more assertively. These results provide initial evidence to support a position specific approach when preparing for home and away games in team sports.
Keywords: Basketball, Home advantage, Playing position