Playing basketball is an intense activity that requires endurance, mental focus and speed. Maintaining adequate nutrition on the day of a game enables you to keep up with the demands of the sport and allows you to perform to the best of your abilities. Keep your pre-game meals small to avoid cramps and replenish nutrients you lose during the game with a post-game meal high in carbohydrates.
Pre-Game Meal
The official website of the Atlantic Coast Conference suggests eating a small meal between two and four hours before the game. A majority of your pre-game meal should consist of fruits, grains and vegetables to provide you with carbohydrates that your body requires for energy, the Power Basketball website adds --- with about 2/3 of calories from carbohydrates and 1/3 from lean protein. Avoid foods high in fat or sugar, which can contribute to fatigue.
Hydration
Drink 16 ounces of either water or a sports drink about two hours before the game, the ACC recommends. Sports drinks maintain hydration and pack carbohydrates that can provide energy during a game. Stay hydrated during the game by drinking 4 to 8 ounces of a sports drink after every 15 to 20 minutes of play. Avoid drinks that contain caffeine or carbonation.
Halftime Snack
Eat a small amount of solid food at halftime to recover carbohydrates lost during the game. The ACC suggests eating an energy bar, granola bar or orange wedge, because they are small enough to provide you with nutrients without weighing you down during play. Drink between 6 and 8 ounces of water with your halftime snack to provide your body with hydration for the second half of the game and to prevent fatigue.
Post-Game Meal
Eating an adequate amount of nutrients after the game is just as essential to maintaining your fitness as your pre-game meal and halftime snack. Recovery nutrition helps prevent post-game muscle cramps and prepares your body for performance if you have a game or a practice the following day. The ACC recommends that, within 30 minutes of game's end, you about half your body weight in grams of carbohydrates within 30 minutes of game's end. For example, a player who weighs 180 pounds should eat 90 grams of carbs. Follow your post-game carbohydrate snack with a small, carb-rich meal within two hours of game's end.
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