Player Profile: Paitz Hopes to Lead Pleasanton One Step Further

<p dir="ltr">Pleasanton (NE) is a basketball town.  A small, tight knit community of around 350 people just north of Kearney, the high school gym is a gathering point for everyone on cold, winter nights, and the Bulldogs usually don't disappoint.</p> <p dir="ltr">The 2018-19 season was a banner season for the Bulldogs, finishing with an impressive an overall record of 27-2 and a third place banner at the 2019 state tournament.  With the graduation of only one senior that contributed over a point a game, hopes are high that the Bulldogs can take the next step and bring home the programs first state championship in school history.</p> <p dir="ltr">A big part of that state tournament drive is Isabelle Paitz, a 5'8" guard that avearged 12 points a game as a sophomore last season.  The leading scorer for the Bulldogs last season, Paitz hopes that a great off-season will help the Bulldogs cut down the nets at Pinnacle Bank Arena next March.  I caught up to Isabelle a few days ago to discuss the upcoming season.</p> <p dir="ltr"><strong>What first drove you to basketball?  What inspired you to pursue the sport?</strong></p> <p dir="ltr">My dad and brother enjoy all types of sports. Because I didn’t want to be left out, I practiced and played along side them when I was younger. This nurtured my love for basketball into what it is today. Basketball has always been my favorite sport and it’s the sport that I have played the longest.</p> <p dir="ltr"><strong>Who is your club coach and program you play for?  How long have you played for them?</strong></p> <p dir="ltr">I live in Pleasanton, NE a small town of 400 people and one class D1 school. We have a long history as being a “basketball” town but don’t have a club team. In the 3rd grade, six of my classmates formed a competitive team the “Pleasanton Bulldogs." We were successful with only a handful of losses. After 8th grade, we transitioned to our high school team and are still playing together. Jodi Pierce, my teammate’s mom, coached us in the early years and now Jordan Arensdorf is our high school coach.</p> <p dir="ltr"><strong>What do you feel you do well on the floor?  What are the areas of your game that you are working to improve upon?</strong></p> <p dir="ltr">My best traits on the floor would be finding the open shot, shooting accurately and my motive to hustle. Over the summer, I had a goal to hit the gym four days a week after weights to get up as many shots as I could. By doing so, it has allowed me to become more consistent with my shot. But one thing that I want to keep improving on is being aggressive and driving to the hoop.</p> <p dir="ltr"><strong>How do you feel about this year's team?  What are some of your goals?</strong></p> <p dir="ltr">I have a great feeling about this year's team. This summer we have attended many team camps that have allowed us to play great competition and improve on our game. Over the summer we were also committed to working hard in the weight room, so we can be stronger and faster than the other team each night.</p> <p dir="ltr">Some of my personal goals are to work hard, be a leader and work on being more aggressive and driving to the hoop.</p> <p dir="ltr"><strong>Who are some of the tough teams and/or tough individuals that you will have to face in the upcoming season?</strong></p> <p dir="ltr">One of the toughest individual that I have had to play against was Grace Cave. Last year down at state we played Weeping Water in the first round of State Basketball. Coming into the game we knew that we were going to have to shut down Grace Cave, and that was going to be a tough job. She is a great player and I hope that we meet up with her and them again down at state.</p> <p dir="ltr"><strong>What other sports/activities do you do?</strong></p> <p dir="ltr">In addition to basketball, I’m a state track medalist and state volleyball medalist. I also enjoy softball, golf, kayaking, and spending time with family and friends. I have also been involved in FBLA for the past three years at my school.</p> <p dir="ltr"><strong>What schools are you looking at for college?  Are you planning on playing? What would you like to major in?</strong></p> <p dir="ltr">Beyond attending basketball camps at a few campuses in Nebraska, and South Dakota I haven’t actively started looking.  I would like to compete at the college level. I enjoy being part of a team and the idea of having a home away from home appeals to me. I find myself gravitating towards math and science, so I’m considering a career in the healthcare or business field.</p>