She’s Ms. 2000!

With a 3-pointer from just left of the top of the key last Tuesday night against Lenox, Nodaway Valley senior Izzy Eisbach became just the 24th Iowa girls basketball player in the 5-on-5 era to surpass 2,000 career points.

In doing so, Eisbach moved past former Iowa greats such as reigning Iowa Miss Basketball Libby Fandel, who starred at Cedar Rapids Xavier and now plays at the University of Kansas, and Washington native Mary Berdo, a former standout for the Iowa Hawkeyes.

Eisbach has spent nearly her entire playing career under the guidance of her father, Brian Eisbach, Nodaway Valley’s head coach.

“I knew it was coming up, but when I hit it and looked over and my dad called a timeout, I was a little frustrated,” Eisbach said. “I was mad at how I had been playing.”

Asked what song she would choose for a highlight reel of all 2,000 points, the Northwest Missouri State signee pointed to one she and her teammates listen to before every game — a reminder of how much the group has meant to her throughout her career.

Reaching the 2,000-point benchmark with 2:40 left in the first quarter of last week’s game was a sweet moment, Eisbach said.

“My teammates were all so supportive,” she said. “I didn’t want to be the center of attention during the game, but everyone made it so easy. I was really excited and happy.”

While her basketball journey began at a young age, Eisbach said she has seen significant growth in herself even since entering high school, when she joined the starting lineup as a freshman alongside older, more decorated players at the time.

As best she can recall, her first high school shot attempt was an airball at home against Adair-Casey/Guthrie Center.

“I think once I got my nerves out, my first made shot might have been a 3,” Eisbach said. “I wasn’t expecting to start as a freshman, but I was just so glad to get to play with that group of seniors. I remember pushing myself to the limit every day in practice.”

Though her parents encourage her to take one day off each week, Eisbach admits that’s difficult when you love the game as much as she does.

She holds herself to daily goals: 300 made 3-pointers, 100 made free throws and a variety of ball-handling drills. She also emphasizes shot selection and understanding what it means to be a strong defender within the team’s system.

At the core of reaching 2,000 points, Eisbach said, is patience.

“Doing it takes a lot of patience,” she said. “I never thought as a freshman that I’d be on pace to score 2,000. A lot of people don’t see it, but I work a lot outside of practice. When things get rough, I have to trust the work I’ve put in. I also have to trust my teammates — I can’t do it on my own. I’ve played alongside great players, and that’s what it takes.”

Eisbach’s father and head coach, Brian Eisbach, was reminded of Golden State Warriors guard Steph Curry when talking about his daughter’s accomplishments. He’s known to be 40% from 3-point land, which is six misses for every 10 shots.

“The amount of time that she works on it year round — she doesn’t show up and just shoot either, it’s game-like and she’s drenched in sweat for the two hours or whatever that she’s in the gym — she’s disciplined and puts the work in,” coach Eisbach said. “Seeing her find joy in the fact that her team’s doing well, it’s starting to get really fun. As a dad, I’m proud and happy for her. As a coach, same. She works really hard and it’s always fun to see kids who work really hard get recognition.”

Of the 725 field goals Eisbach had made entering Thursday’s game against Southeast Warren, one of her favorites came in a recent win over No. 15 Mount Ayr. Off an inbounds play late in the game with Nodaway Valley trailing, Eisbach knocked down a 3-pointer that shifted momentum. Seconds later, she added two free throws to seal the win.

Before this season, Eisbach already held program records for assists in a game and season, points in a game, 3-pointers in a game and season, field goals in a season and steals in a season. She was also tied for first in field goals made and free throws made in a game.

Since then, Eisbach has become the program’s leader in career 3-pointers. Three games before reaching the 2,000-point milestone, she passed former teammate Lindsey Davis — now at Upper Iowa University — to become the program’s all-time scoring leader. She also surpassed Maddax DeVault, now a senior at Simpson College, earlier this season.

One goal remains before Eisbach hangs up her Nodaway Valley jersey: reaching the state tournament. Given the team’s chemistry on and off the court, she believes it’s attainable.

“That would be awesome,” she said. “I want to go as deep as we can with this team, and that’s going to be our main focus. A lot of us got really excited after the Mount Ayr game, and it was a great accomplishment, but we had to settle back down and focus on the next task and getting ready for postseason.”