Heritage’s Aloisio is the Broward 4A-1A Girls’ Basketball Player of the Year
Isabella Aloisio wasn’t even a starter on the Plantation American Heritage girls’ basketball team last season.
Aloisio still soaked up all the experience she could during the Patriots’ run to the Class 4A state championship game.
So when Heritage’s roster was depleted following the transfer of multiple key players, Aloisio was ready to step up for her team.
“A lot of people doubted our team as a whole so we used it as a motivation to keep going,” Aloisio said.
Aloisio didn’t just fill a role for the Patriots. She became their top scorer and one of their most versatile players overall.
With Aloisio, a 5-10 sophomore guard leading the way, Heritage kept the longest streak of consecutive appearances at the state final four intact, leading the Patriots to their 10th consecutive state semifinal berth.
As such, Aloisio is the Miami Herald’s Broward County Girls’ Basketball Player of the Year for Classes 4A-1A.
“It was really a different step. It really came from my work over the summer, and I was dedicated,” Aloisio said. “The loss at state the year before motivated me and my teammates.
“My confidence improved a lot. I became someone who’s reliable on the team. My coaches really worked with me and helped me put in the work and get better as a player. We spent six days a week together and just pushed each other.”
Aloisio, who also has a 5.4 GPA, proved herself to be one of the more versatile players in Broward this season.
Aloisio averaged 16 points, four assists, three rebounds and three steals per game while leading Heritage to another regional title and a 17-9 record.
“Last year, I would mostly stick to shooting, but I improved my defense and penetrating to find my teammates (open),” Aloisio said.
While many discounted the possibility that Heritage, a program that had advanced to the state final for nine consecutive seasons and won six state titles during that span, could make it back. Aloisio and her teammates refused to be remembered as the team that fell short.
“We didn’t want to break the streak,” Aloisio said. “I know sometimes we don’t think of getting to state as a big deal because we’ve won so many state titles, but we have to think of it as an accomplishment because it’s hard to make it to state.
“The regional final (against Miami Northwestern) was a hard game against a good team, but we fought and worked together to get it done.”
Aloisio still has two more seasons to don Heritage’s black and yellow and potentially bring home the school’s first state title since the 2023-24 season.
“Really just to lead my team, and I’m hoping to step into a bigger role next season,” Aloisio said. “I want to help the underclassmen get to our final goal next year.”
