Local basketball phenom Isabella “Jiggy” Escribano made her first-ever basketball shot in the Canyon High School gym when she was 8 years old.
Seven years later, Escribano will enter high school, with a highly anticipated career ahead of her, in a Canyon Cowboys jersey.
Escribano has had quite the busy schedule for someone not even driving yet. The 15-year-old has her own clothing brand, played in the Mamba Academy under Kobe Bryant and played for the Mexican Women’s 16U National team.
The Canyon Country native suited up for Mexico at the FIBA Americas Championship in June. Escribano was unable to lead her team to the top but the experience was a dream come true.
“We huddle up and say, ‘Uno, dos, tres, Mexico!’” Escribano said. “That’s everything to me because I’ve dreamed of that for so long. I wrote down that goal with my brother a long time ago and now I’m living it.”
The dream became a reality last summer when Escribano got word she made the 14U team. She was the only 13-year-old to make the cut. The soon-to-be Canyon guard went up against the best teens from several countries in Merida, Mexico, and the experience was invaluable.
“I feel like I definitely got more confident because I was playing with older girls that are more aggressive and the game’s way faster,” Escribano said. “The game is a little different in FIBA than over here. So when I came back, I felt way faster and smarter, because everything’s just very quick out there.”
The 15-year-old has already built an impressive following but still felt nerves playing in front of larger crowds of Mexican fans.
“Being out there was kind of nerve-wracking because you get nervous because the crowds are very big in Mexico,” Escribano said. “You have a lot of people cheering for you no matter what. If you win or lose, they’re always going to be there for you.”
Escribano took on the backup point guard role for Mexico and is expecting to take the starting role next summer.
“I was the backup point guard and they wanted me to experience playing in games, especially going against the USA, Canada, Puerto Rico, all the best teams,” Escribano said. “So next year, I’ll have my own team and I know what it takes to beat all those teams, what we need to do and what we need to be better at.”
Escribano’s brand “Breaking The Curse” reaches about 500,000 Instagram accounts a month and gets about 50,000 visits to its website. The clothing line primarily supports the WNBA and even aided in the return home of Britney Griner, who was detained in Russia for nearly all of 2022. One of Escribano’s signature sweatshirts supported a cause to get Griner home and was worn by WNBA and NBA stars.
Chris Paul, Alexandria Quigley, Nneke Ogwumike, Jarred Vanderbilt, Kyle Kuzma, Kelsey Plum and Jose Alvarado are just a few basketball stars to support Escribano.
Escribano was able to meet with Alvarado in March when the Pelicans guard invited her out to his game against the Clippers. Alvarado has been a fan of Escribano’s for several years and has supported the young hooper throughout her life.
For Escribano, the brand is merely her hobby while basketball is her life. However, she loves the time she spends creating more styles with her brothers Eddie and Marco.
Escribano will hope to wear No. 25 for Canyon, the same jersey her brother Marco wore in his Foothill League playing days at Golden Valley. Escribano will take the court alongside perimeter threat Josie Regez and interior force Koko Booker along with several other Cowboys the team is excited about.
“I love all the girls,” Escribano said. “I’ve gotten to know their playing styles and I’m just excited to play for this team. I’m having a lot of fun just playing and just hooping. I haven’t felt like this, to just go have fun. I like the team, the coaches, and the school. I feel like I’m going to fit in on this team.”
Canyon is looking for a three-peat of Foothill League titles and the feat is already at the top of Escribano’s goals for the upcoming season among others.
“I definitely want to get Foothill League MVP,” Escribano. “That’s my ultimate goal, but I just want to have fun. I want to lead this team again to a Foothill League championship. I want to get the three-peat and I’m just very excited to play.”
Escribano could be the missing piece for the Cowboys after the team graduated several key seniors this year. Canyon will likely be her home for the next four years where she’ll aim to pick up some accolades and championships but also look to grow her basketball family even further.
“I’m very excited,” Escribano said. “I just want it to feel like a team that makes me feel at home and feels like a sisterhood because in Mexico, I had a sisterhood. For the first time, I felt like I had a family in Mexico even though I didn’t know the language as much, but those girls made me feel at home and Canyon makes me feel the same way.”
