Competitive level differences in basic motor skills of wheelchair basketball players: a cross- sectional observational study

Introduction Performance in wheelchair basketball largely depends on athletes’ physical performance, particularly basic motor abilities required for efficient wheelchair propulsion and movement during play. This study aimed to examine differences in basic motor abilities between wheelchair basketball players competing in Division B and Division C, both in the overall sample and within higher classification scores (3.0–4.5) and lower classification scores (1.0–2.5) groups. Methods The sample included 52 wheelchair basketball players, members of the national teams of Serbia, Bulgaria, Montenegro, Croatia, and Bosnia and Herzegovina, aged 16–54 years, competing in Division B or C. Participants were grouped according to competitive level and functional classification. Basic motor abilities were assessed using nine field tests of speed, strength, and agility. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, the Kolmogorov–Smirnov test, MANOVA and one-way ANOVA ( p < 0.05). Results Multivariate analysis showed significant differences in basic motor abilities within Division B and Division C players overall and among players with lower classification scores. No significant multivariate differences were found between highly classified players. Univariate analyses indicated better speed and agility performance in Division B players, with no differences in strength. In the overall sample, Division B players performed significantly (p < 0.01) better than Division C players in speed tests (ST5m: 1.86 ± 0.18 vs. 2.02 ± 0.18 s; ST10m: 3.16 ± 0.29 vs. 3.39 ± 0.24 s; ST20m: 5.46 ± 0.38 vs. 5.82 ± 0.38 s) and agility tests (ATT: 14.50 ± 1.00 vs. 15.51 ± 1.35 s; DAT: 28.46 ± 1.48 vs. 30.98 ± 2.51 s; FET: 18.71 ± 1.12 vs. 17.08 ± 1.56). Among players with lower classification scores, Division B players also showed significantly better results in ST5m, ST20m, ATT, DAT, and FET (p < 0.05). Conclusion The findings indicate clear differences in basic motor abilities between wheelchair basketball players of different competitive levels, particularly in speed and agility, with more pronounced differences among players with lower functional classification scores.