Selectıon of Coordınated Defensıve Drılls to Improve Competıtıve Performance of Male Basketball Players of Thuyloı Unıversıty

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Introduction

In recent years, physical education and sports activities at universities have received increasing attention as important means of improving students’ physical fitness, promoting healthy lifestyles, and supporting comprehensive development. Among the various sports practiced in higher education institutions, basketball is one of the most popular team sports due to its high level of competition, technical complexity, and requirement for effective teamwork. In modern basketball, defensive tactics play a decisive role in limiting opponents’ scoring opportunities, maintaining team stability, and creating favorable conditions for fast breaks and offensive transitions. Effective coordinated defense requires not only individual defensive skills but also a high level of cooperation, communication, and tactical understanding among players. Therefore, the development of coordinated defensive ability has become an important objective in basketball training programs.

At Thuyloi University, basketball has become one of the most actively participated sports through extracurricular activities, university tournaments, and representative teams. However, observations of training and competition have shown that the defensive coordination ability of male basketball players remains inconsistent, resulting in reduced effectiveness during competitive situations. In addition, the current system of defensive training drills lacks sufficient specialization and systematic application to develop coordinated defensive performance.

From this practical perspective, the selection and application of appropriate coordinated defensive drills for male basketball players at Thuyloi University are necessary to improve competitive effectiveness and enhance the quality of basketball training. Therefore, this study was conducted to identify and evaluate coordinated defensive drills that contribute to improving competitive performance among male basketball players of Thuyloi University.

Methods

During the research process, the study employed a combination of scientific research methods, including document analysis and synthesis, expert interviews, pedagogical observation, pedagogical experiment, and mathematical statistics.

Document analysis and synthesis were used to review theoretical foundations and previous studies related to basketball defensive tactics and coordinated defensive training. Expert interviews were conducted with 30 experts, lecturers, coaches, and specialists in basketball training to determine the necessity, feasibility, and effectiveness of the proposed coordinated defensive drills.

Pedagogical observation was applied throughout training sessions and competitions to assess the actual defensive performance of the players. Based on the results of expert consultation and practical observations, eight coordinated defensive drills were selected for experimental application. The pedagogical experiment was conducted on male basketball players of Thuyloi University over a six-month period. Participants were divided into an experimental group and a control group with equivalent initial performance levels. The experimental group trained using the selected coordinated defensive drills three times per week, with each training session lasting 45–50 minutes, while the control group followed the conventional training program. Mathematical statistical methods were used to process and analyze the collected data, thereby objectively evaluating the effectiveness of the selected drills in improving coordinated defensive performance and competitive effectiveness among male basketball players of Thuyloi University.

Results

Current situation of the use of defensive tactics in basketball competition:

Table 1: Assessment of the importance of coordinated defensive drills for improving competitive performance among male basketball players of Thuyloi University (n = 30)

No. Group of drills Very important (n)

3 Coordinated drills in pressing

individual defense 25 83.3 5 16.7 0 0 4 Coordinated drills in mixed defense 26 86.6 4 13.4 0 0 The interview results presented in Table 1 indicate the important role of coordinated defensive drills in basketball competition. Nevertheless, the coordinated defensive performance of male basketball players at Thuyloi University still shows several limitations during training and competition. Therefore, this study aimed to select appropriate coordinated defensive drills to improve defensive tactical effectiveness and competitive performance among male basketball players of Thuyloi University.

Table 2: Current Use and Effectiveness of Coordinated Defensive Drills among Male Basketball Players of Thuyloi University Defensive drills Frequency of use n (%) Success n (%) Failure n (%) Half-court fast-break defense 91 (28.9) 47 (51.6) 44 (48.4) Full-court fast-break defense 90 (28.6) 42 (46.7) 48 (53.3) Defensive shifting coordination 85 (27.0) 45 (52.9) 40 (47.1) Denying-pass coordination 49 (15.5) 19 (38.8) 30 (61.2) The results presented in Table 2 indicate that half-court fast-break defensive drills were the most frequently used, accounting for 28.9% of the total observations, with a success rate of 51.6%. Defensive shifting coordination drills also demonstrated relatively high effectiveness, achieving the highest success rate (52.9%). In contrast, denying-pass coordination drills were used less frequently (15.5%) and showed the lowest success rate (38.8%).

Although several coordinated defensive drills were regularly applied during training and competition, their effectiveness remained relatively modest. The success rates of all observed defensive drills were below 55%, indicating limitations in defensive cooperation, communication, and tactical execution among players. These findings suggest that the coordinated defensive performance of male basketball players at Thuyloi University has not yet reached the desired level and requires further improvement through a systematic and specialized training program.

Selection of Coordinated Defensive Drills for Male Basketball Players of Thuyloi University Based on the results of practical observations, document analysis, and expert interviews, the study proceeded to select a system of coordinated defensive drills suitable for the training characteristics and competitive requirements of male basketball players at Thuyloi University. The selection process focused on drills that could effectively improve defensive cooperation, communication, tactical awareness, and overall competitive performance.

Table 3: Results of Expert Interviews on the Selection of Coordinated Defensive Drills for Male Basketball Players of Thuyloi University (n = 30) No. Defensive group Coordinated defensive drills Agree n(%) Disagree n(%)

3 Pressing defense

4 Denying-pass defenses Denying passes 29 (96.7) 1 (3.3) Marking opponents moving without the ball 12 (40.0) 18 (60.0) 5 Coordinated defenses 3 vs. 3 coordinated defense 24 (80.0) 6 (20.0) Coordinated defense against cross-cut movement 22 (73.3) 8 (26.7) Based on the theoretical and practical foundations, together with the interview results presented in Table 3, the study selected eight coordinated defensive drills that received an agreement rate of 85% or higher from experts and basketball coaches. These drills were considered appropriate for the training characteristics and competitive requirements of male basketball players at Thuyloi University. The selected drills included: coordinated defensive drills against half-court fast-break attacks; coordinated defensive drills against full-court fast-break attacks; help-defense coordination between guards and forwards; close-out coordination between guards and forwards; trapping-defense coordination drills; switching coordination between two forwards; switching coordination between guards and forwards on the same side; and denying-pass coordination drills.

Application of Coordinated Defensive Drills for Male Basketball Players of Thuyloi University To establish a scientific basis for the pedagogical experiment, interviews were conducted with experts, referees, basketball coaches, and lecturers regarding the appropriate frequency of weekly tactical training sessions for male basketball players of Thuyloi University. The objective was to determine a training schedule that would ensure effectiveness while remaining compatible with the players’ academic and training commitments. The interview results are presented in Table 4.

Table 4: Results of Expert Interviews on the Appropriate Number of Weekly Tactical Training Sessions for Male Basketball Players of Thuyloi University (n = 20) Number of sessions per week 1 2 3 4 5 6 Number of respondents 0 3 15 2 0 0 Percentage (%) 0 15.0 75.0 10.0 0 0 The results presented in Table 4 indicate that three training sessions per week were considered the most appropriate frequency for implementing coordinated defensive training among male basketball players of Thuyloi University. This training frequency received the highest level of agreement from experts and coaches, as it provides sufficient opportunities for players to develop defensive coordination skills while ensuring compatibility with their academic schedules and overall training load.

In addition to training frequency, the allocation of training time within each session is an important factor affecting the effectiveness of coordinated defensive drills. Different defensive tactical contents require different durations of practice, depending on their complexity and training objectives. Therefore, determining an appropriate amount of time for coordinated defensive training in each session is essential for maximizing training effectiveness and improving competitive performance.

Table 5: Results of Expert Interviews on the Appropriate Time Allocation for Coordinated Defensive Training in Each Training Session (n = 20) Training time per session 10–20 min 25–30 min 35–40 min 45–50 min >50 min Number of respondents 0 2 4 14 0 Percentage (%) 0 10.0 20.0 70.0 0 The results presented in Table 5 indicate that a training duration of 45–50 minutes per session was considered the most appropriate for implementing coordinated defensive drills. According to the experts and coaches interviewed, this duration provides sufficient time for players to practice defensive coordination skills, tactical communication, and game-related situations while maintaining a high level of concentration and training quality. Therefore, the selected coordinated defensive drills were incorporated into the training program with a frequency of three sessions per week, each lasting 45–50 minutes throughout the pedagogical experiment.

Evaluation of the Effectiveness of Coordinated Defensive Drills To evaluate the effectiveness of the selected coordinated defensive drills, a pedagogical experiment was conducted over a six-month period involving male basketball players of Thuyloi University. The participants were divided into an experimental group and a control group with equivalent initial performance levels. The experimental group followed the training program incorporating the selected coordinated defensive drills, while the control group continued with the conventional training program.

The effectiveness of the training program was assessed through the success rate of coordinated defensive actions during competition. Intermediate evaluations were conducted after four months of training to determine the initial impact of the selected drills on defensive tactical performance. The results of the assessment after four months of the pedagogical experiment are presented in Table 6.

Table 6: Results of the Assessment after Four Months of the Pedagogical Experiment Calculated indicators Experimental group (A) Control group (B) Number of Successful actions (n)

Number of Successful actions (n)

75 48 64.0 27 36.0 68 32 47.1 PA - PB 0.17 P 0.56 q 0.44 t 2.045 table 1.96 P% 5 The results presented in Table 7 showed that the experimental group achieved a coordinated defensive success rate of 69.7%, compared with 51.9% in the control group. The difference between the two groups was statistically significant (t = 2.343; p < 0.05). These findings confirm that the selected coordinated defensive drills effectively improved defensive tactical performance and competitive effectiveness among male basketball players of Thuyloi University. This improvement was greater than that observed in the control group, which followed the conventional training program.

Table 7: Results of the assessment after six months of the pedagogical experiment Calculated indicators Experimental group (A) Control group (B) Number of Successful actions (n)

Number of Successful actions (n)

85 60 69.7 26 30.2 77 40 51.9 PA - PB 0.179 P 0.61 q 0.39 t 2.343 table 1.96 P% 5 After the experimental period, the indicators of coordinated defensive performance in the experimental group improved significantly compared with the pre-experimental stage and were superior to those of the control group. These findings confirm the effectiveness of the selected coordinated defensive drills in enhancing defensive tactical performance among male basketball players of Thuyloi University.

Conclusion

The study found that the coordinated defensive performance of male basketball players of Thuyloi University had not yet achieved the desired effectiveness.

Based on theoretical and practical foundations, eight coordinated defensive drills were selected, including: half-court fast-break defense, full-court fast-break defense, help-defense coordination, close-out coordination, trapping defense, forward-to-forward switching, same-side guard-forward switching, and denying-pass coordination. The results of the pedagogical experiment demonstrated that the selected drills significantly improved coordinated defensive performance and competitive effectiveness among male basketball players of Thuyloi University, with statistically significant differences observed between the experimental and control groups (p < 0.05).