Performance and Anthropometric Comparison: U16 vs. U18 Male Basketball Players

This study aimed to compare the anthropometric and performance characteristics of U16 and U18 male basketball players to better understand post-peak height velocity (PHV) developmental differences. A total of 31 athletes from the local international basketball academy participated in the research—15 from the U16 category (15.25 ± 0.86 years) and 16 from the U18 category (17.46 ± 0.34 years). Measurements included body composition, sprinting (with and without the ball), agility, and jump performance. The results revealed significant between-group differences in most anthropometric variables (p < 0.001), including body mass, BMI, skeletal muscle mass, fat-free mass, total body water, and segmental muscle mass. However, there were no significant differences in body height and body fat percentage. Performance comparisons showed that U18 players outperformed U16 players in agility (p = 0.026), 10m and 20m sprint (p = 0.045 and p = 0.016, respectively), and 20m dribbling sprint (p = 0.011), while no significant differences were observed in jumping ability. These findings suggest that physical maturation strongly influences anthropometric parameters and partially affects performance characteristics. The results highlight the importance of age-appropriate training strategies that consider biological development stages in youth basketball.