03 Feb 2024 Isabella DeSalvo – Nemo Vista (501 Basketball Team 2024)

Isabella DeSalvo has accepted the challenge this year of moving from first off the bench to team captain.

“It’s been quite the adjustment on the court considering our starting five last year all graduated,” DeSalvo said. “I’m learning how to not only understand my aspect of the game, but also how the other girls on the team play. Having to adjust to a new group of girls all at once can be challenging at times, but the more we play together, the more we start to pick up on those little aspects that make playing the game smoother.”

DeSalvo contributed off the bench to last year’s Nemo Vista squad that reached the 1A state tournament.

“Isabella impacted the game on the defensive end,” said Nemo Vista Head Coach Corey Collins. “She didn’t start, but she played a lot of minutes. She is our most experienced player we have this year coming back. I expect Isabella to be our team leader and the girl that the other players can look up to. I want to see her continue to grow on the court and off. She is our glue girl. She keeps everyone together and is our best vocal leader.

“Off the court, Isabella is a very hard worker. She works on her family’s farm while still being active in school clubs and athletics. She is also an outstanding student in the classroom with a 4.1 GPA. For 2023, she was selected as Nemo Vista’s citizen of the year by the Morrilton Chamber of Commerce.”