ArticleBMC sports science, medicine & rehabilitation2025
The effects of small-sided games on physical fitness in basketball players: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
Article in BMC sports science, medicine & rehabilitation, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
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Who cites it
2 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.
- Effects of small-sided games training on physical performance in youth team-sport athletes: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Frontiers in physiology · 2026Pooled it
- Effect of basketball-based small-sided games and running-based high-intensity interval training on physical fitness in untrained young adults: a randomized controlled study.BMC sports science, medicine & rehabilitation · 2026Article
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Authors and funding
4 authors.
Funding
Abstract
backgroundAs a type of game-based training (GBT), small-sided games (SSGs) are often compared with non-game-based training (NGBT) in team sports. However, there is still no consensus on the chronic effects between SSGs and NGBT, including high intensity interval training (HIIT) and traditional technical drills (TTD), on physical performance in basketball players.
objectiveTo systematically compare the chronic effects of SSGs versus NGBT on the physical fitness in basketball players through meta-analysis and to explore the moderator effects of training variables in SSGs.
methodsA systematic search was conducted in databases including PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, EBSCO host, and CNKI, covering the period from inception until December 13, 2023, with last updated on April 14, 2025. The meta-analysis, sensitivity analysis, publication bias detection and subgroup analysis were mainly conducted by Review Manager 5.3. The methodological quality of the included studies was assessed by the PEDro scale and the NOS scale.
resultsA total of 10 studies involving 253 subjects were included. The meta-analysis results indicated that: (1) No statistically significant differences were found between SSGs and NGBT for the improvement on aerobic and COD performance in basketball players (P > 0.05). And significantly higher enhancement of the lower limb explosive performance were found in SSGs compared with NGBT (SMD = 0.51, 95%CI: 0.20 to 0.82; P = 0.001). (2) Subgroup analysis revealed that SSGs programs favored a weekly training frequency ≥ 3 sessions (SMD = 0.60, 95%CI:0.08 to 1.13) in the improvement of aerobic performance and participants aged < 18 (SMD = 0.56, 95%CI:0.17 to 0.96) or training duration < 18.8 (SMD = 0.60, 95%CI:0.20 to 0.99) in the improvement of lower limb explosive performance. In addition, a higher enhancement of the lower limb explosive performance was found in SSGs versus TTD compared to SSGs versus HIIT (SMD = 0.78, 95%CI:0.33 to 1.22).
conclusionsThe evidence indicated that SSGs are as effective as NGBT for increasing aerobic and COD performance, and SSGs are more effective than NGBT for improving lower limb explosive performance in basketball players. Moreover, it is important to consider the influence of moderator variables such as weekly training frequency, age of participants and training duration when designing the SSGs programs. The findings provide consensus on the training effects of physical fitness between SSGs and NGBT, and offer directions for further research on optimal SSGs programs.
trial registrationThis study was registered with PROSPERO (ID. CRD42023483633).
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