Observational analysis of the construction of sequences that end in a shot in U14 basketball according to the players' position

Abstract

Using observational methodology, a study was carried out on the offensive sequences that end in a shot—both effective and ineffective—for FC Barcelona's elite U14 team, champions of the Minicopa Endesa 2020. An observation instrument was adapted from one with proven validity. The data was recorded using the free software Lince. The observational sample is composed of all the sequences that end in a shot. The reliability of the recordings was guaranteed by inter-observer agreement using Cohen's kappa coefficient. Complementary use of the decision tree analysis technique and the detection of T-patterns —using the software Theme— made it possible to characterise the construction of the sequences that end in shots that were both effective and ineffective. It may be concluded that in the elite U14 category, ineffective sequences still predominate over effective ones, except for the inside shots of players in a point guard position.