In the minutes after leading St. Michael-Albertville to its third girls basketball state tournament berth in four years, Tessa Johnson was difficult to locate amid the throng of fans, parents and well-wishers.

A 5-10 senior guard, Johnson had delivered another stellar performance in a season of many, scoring 23 first-half points and spending the second half orchestrating the Knights offense in a 34-point victory over Elk River in the Class 4A, Section 8 final.

Now Johnson was crouched in the middle of the crowded gym floor, pen in hand, signing her name on dollar bills being offered to her.

This was not remuneration for a job well done. She was signing autographs for a legion of preteen girls. Johnson took the time to personalize each one. Her fans' common response was "Thank you, Tessa." Also common: "See you in the WNBA."

Maybe so. For now, Johnson is the Star Tribune Metro Player of the Year in girls basketball.

"It's usually shoes or jerseys or shirts they want me to sign," Johnson said, chuckling. "I think I've only signed money once before."

This is Tessa Johnson at her essence, the Pied Piper of youth girls basketball in the St. Michael-Albertville community. Where she is, they go. A smile or a kind word from Johnson is enough to spark a basketball career.

"Little girls all want to be like Tessa," Knights coach Kent Hamre said. "She lights the fire under them, and they want to be her, on and off the court."

Johnson actively pursues opportunities to spread her basketball gospel.

Each season, Knights players "adopt" a local youth team. Players are asked to show up at occasional practices in support of their team.

"Tessa goes even further," Hamre said. "She goes to their games and sits with them. She went down to their state tournament to cheer them on. The girls were more excited she was there than they were for the games."

Johnson said she remembers when she was young and idolized the older girls, dreaming of one day wearing the St. Michael-Albertville varsity uniform.

Tessa Johnson split Elk River defenders during the section title game.
Cheryl A. Myers, Special to the Star Tribune
Tessa Johnson split Elk River defenders during the section title game.

"It takes me back. I would look up to them, like my older sister [Rae], and I always wanted to be them," Johnson said. "If they would talk to me or smile at me, it was amazing. There are always good people in the world, and I want to be one of those people."

She lives that elsewhere in her life, too. In the summer, she works at her grandfather's camp for adults with special needs. She'll get them involved in an impromptu game, because everything comes back to Johnson's love of basketball.

Johnson missed her sophomore season after suffering a broken femur in her left leg, then came back last year and helped the Knights to a runner-up finish in the Class 4A state tournament.

This year Johnson is averaging 23.6 points per game with a high of 51 in a 97-70 victory over Chaska in December. In October, she announced her decision to sign with defending NCAA champion South Carolina. Her decision was cemented during an official visit to Columbia, S.C., last year.

"It was so pretty there, so beautiful," she said. "We were walking down the street during a festival and we got stopped about every minute. Everyone wanted to show their support and were happy to see us. They call themselves 'The Fam,' and it really felt like one."

Meanwhile, high school accolades are piling up. Johnson was named a McDonald's All-American, only the seventh girls basketball player from Minnesota, and 20th Minnesotan overall, to be picked. She was recently selected Gatorade Minnesota Girls Basketball Player of the Year.

There's only one thing left for Johnson to achieve. She'd love to go out with a state championship. Her team got close last year.

"We have one goal at the end of the year," she said. "We remember losing last year. … We want it this year."