Effects of an Eight-Week Defensive Rebounding Program on University Basketball Players.

This study evaluates the effectiveness of the eight weeks of training for defensive rebounding upon the performance of male basketball players at Sabaragamuwa University of Sri Lanka. One of the most critical elements in the game of basketball is that of defensive rebounding. It controls the outcome of the game by not allowing opponents to get many scoring opportunities. The study involved a pre-test and post-test design with three participants selected from the university's basketball team. The design of the program was to increase vertical jump height and general rebounding technique. The results showed improvements in rebounding performance for all subjects. There was a very marked improvement in average two-point shooting accuracy from pre-test to post-test subjects moved from about 25% to 30% of accuracy. The overall result was significant, in that statistical analysis established a positive significant difference between the pre- and post-training tests. These findings prove that, with focused and intensive training programs, basketball skills can be improved even at the university athlete level. The research supplements the literature of skill development in basketball and lays a base for further research on such training intervention projects to improve game performance. This study proves that defensive strategies should be integrated into regular training for all competitive basketball teams. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]