3 × 3 Basketball: Neuromuscular Fatigue Develops While External Intensities Are Maintained in Late Tournament Stages

Purpose: To evaluate physical demands and acute neuromuscular responses in official 3 × 3 basketball tournaments. Methods: Thirty-three male players (age: 23.1 [5.6] y) were monitored during 2 tournaments, featuring 3 group games (GG1, GG2, and GG3) on day 1 and the round of 16 (R16), quarterfinal (QF), semifinal (SF), and final games on day 2. External intensity (movement intensity) was measured using microsensors. Bilateral countermovement-jump testing was conducted before the start of the tournaments and immediately after each game using MyJump Lab to measure jump height, time to takeoff (TTTO), and modified Reactive Strength Index (RSImod). Results: Linear mixed models revealed no significant differences for movement intensity (P = .195) but a practically meaningful decrease (>smallest worthwhile change [SWC]) in the QF compared with GG1, GG2, GG3, R16, and SF. No significant (P = .128) or practically meaningful differences were found for jump height. TTTO was shorter following GG3 compared with baseline (P = .027, effect size: moderate). Practically meaningful (>SWC) decreases in TTTO were found from baseline to post-GG1, GG2, and GG3, while TTTO increased on day 2 compared with day 1 and after SF and Final compared with R16 and QF. RSImod significantly (all P < .05) and practically improved (>SWC) from baseline to post-GG1, GG2, and GG3 (effect size: trivial); practically meaningful changes were also identified on day 2, with poorer RSImod following QF compared with all day 1 games and poorer values post-SF compared with post-GG3. Conclusions: While players maintained in-game physical intensities across tournament stages, neuromuscular status worsened on day 2, suggesting the presence of fatigue. Strategies aimed at supporting players' physical performances in late 3 × 3 tournament stages should be identified.