St. Michael-Albertville senior Tessa Johnson commits to dream team
ST. MICHAEL, Minn. -- When the women's Final Four came to Minnesota this spring, there was one fan watching the semifinal between South Carolina and Louisville with a heightened interest.
"I loved watching that game. I was so into it. I wouldn't even know what happened next to me, I was so into the game," said Tessa Johnson, who admits that recruiting talks had cooled with South Carolina at the time she viewed the eventual national champions at the Target Center. But that soon changed. This fall she committed to the team she loved to watch.
"It's cool. It makes me think my hard work is paying off," said Johnson a senior guard at St. Michael-Albertville High School. "But I still have things to do. I have more work to put in. I'm winning another one, though. I'm winning another one."
The Gamecocks are getting an all-around player, that can shoot from anywhere.
"I like the midrange game," said Johnson, who added that to her repertoire last season. "I watch a lot of Jordan's stuff. He's simple."
Seemingly an obvious idol for any basketball player, but for someone in high school in 2022, that's a throwback.
"I know, but my dad loves him, I love him, my brother loves him. We love Jordan," said Johnson.
Like MJ, Tessa missed a season and came back better than ever. In her case, the break was caused by a broken leg as a sophomore.
"I looked at my leg. And it was looking like an 'L' shape," said Johnson. "It was not supposed to look like that."
Johnson says a year on the bench was a blessing in disguise
"I was able to read the floor better, see my teammates better, understand my coaches better," she said."
As a junior, Johnson came back to lead St. Michael-Albertville to a runner-up finish at the state tournament, losing to Hopkins in the championship game.
"Myself and the assistant coaches, we just kind of turn to each other and say wow," said STMA head coach Kent Hamre.
Despite her high profile, this season rounds out a five-year varsity career with the Knights.
"Every year, whether it be her or her sister, I kept hearing for the last five years 'oh Tessa might be transferring to another school," said Hamre. "No, she's not gonna - well she didn't transfer. She's here. She takes pride in wearing the blue and gold."
Tessa is the 25th-ranked player in the country in this year's class. And the top recruit in Minnesota.
"I know there's a target on my back," said Johnson. "But I like that. I like competition. So that motivates me some more."
Just like Jordan.