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If you research the best girls basketball players in the nation, you’ll likely find the name Bella Fontleroy.
If that sounds familiar, yes, Missouri State legend William Fontleroy is her dad. But Bella wants to create a legacy all her own.
“I’m just really excited to get out there,” Bella said. “We are going to be really good this year, a really solid team.”
The 6’2” Kickapoo junior is ranked as one of the best in the class of 2022
She was the only freshman to be named First-Team All-Ozark Conference two years ago.
But it hasn’t always been smooth sailing.
“I really was working hard and all of a sudden, just like that, just gone,” Bella said.
A torn ACL in the summer of 2019 cost Bella her entire sophomore season.
“Being around the team last year, she was at everything and stayed involved and that’s a tough situation whenever you’re injured, but she stayed active and stayed with the team and that’s the kind of person she is,” said Kickapoo Head Coach Jim Pendergrass.
“Every day was a challenge,” Bella said. “Just from walking to starting a jog to even getting to that run. I just had to work at it every day.”
Now, with a brace on her right knee, and a full recovery in the rear view mirror, Bella says she’s even better now than two years ago.
“I’m a lot stronger, I’ve been lifting and conditioning so I’m in better shape,” she said. “I think my IQ has definitely gone up as well. I feel like I read the court a lot better than I did and I can also knock down a few more shots.”
That means she has high expectations for herself and the Lady Chiefs.
“As a team, I want us to get past sectionals for sure,” Bella said.
But even if they don’t, Bella’s journey has been a reminder of what she always knew.
“It kind of put things in perspective and it truly made me realize how much I love basketball and how much passion I have for the game,” she said.
After all, basketball is in Bella’s blood.
