A full-circle moment is unfolding on the basketball court this pre-season in Minnesota. During a fall league happening at St. Michael-Albertville High School on Sunday, three generations of women are growing the game.
One of the dozens of high school teams participating in this league is Maranatha Christian Academy. The Mustangs are hoping to capitalize on a successful 17-5 season last year. A new addition to their team is eighth grader Mikayla Johnson-Barnes, and basketball runs in her blood.
“I think the first time I ever touched a basketball was when I was 2 years old,” said Johnson-Barnes.
Her mom, Mia Johnson, is a two-time girls basketball state champion for Minneapolis North High School, and went on to play DI basketball for St. Louis University and Michigan State. Now, she’s her daughter’s fall league coach.
“I want to be just like her, just like her,” said Johnson-Barnes.
When Johnson-Barnes begins the high school season later this month, she’ll be coached by Maranatha’s head girls basketball coach, Faith Johnson Patterson — who coached Johnson when she was at Minneapolis North in the early 2000s.
“I owe a lot to her, and now I get to see it come full circle with my baby girl,” said Johnson.
“It’s just generations going down now. Coach Johnson [Patterson], my mom, me,” said Johnson-Branes.
This is a special moment that almost didn’t happen. Earlier this summer, Johnson Patterson’s mom passed away, and almost made her hang up her coach’s whistle for good.
“Mia inspires me, how hard she played for me, the sacrifices she made to play for me, how can I not return that?” said Johnson Patterson. “Watching [Johnson-Barnes] just feels like I’ve got Mia back.”
As Johnson-Barnes begins her journey to make a name for herself in this sport, she’s thankful to have the lineage of women showing her the way.
“I’m just so grateful because I know they’re by my side and they want the best for me in basketball and for me to strive in basketball,” said Johnson-Barnes.
The high school winter basketball season begins Nov. 10.
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