Prep Scene
Last month, Minneapolis Roosevelt girls basketball Head Coach Tyesha Wright, Assistant Michael Walker, and an experienced group of outstanding players led their team to the City Conference and Twin Cities championships, a Class 3A Section 3 title, and first-ever state tournament appearance, finishing in the consolation round.
Seniors Olivia Wren, Jaida Walker, Jayla Bennett, Tamara Behl, Kiara Behl, Cady Davis and Jazmyne Armstrong led Roosevelt to one of their best seasons ever. The Teddies’ climb wasn’t an easy one, however, but with patience and perseverance in the end it was worth the struggle.
(2018-19) Jaida Walker, one of the metro area’s top shooting guards, joined the team as a seventh grader as Roosevelt finished with a 1-11 city conference record and 5-19 overall.
(2019-20) Wren, an outstanding scorer, rebounder, and defender, and Davis, a forward who also provided help on the boards, joined Walker as the eighth-grade trio improved the Teddies’ record to a 3-9 in conference play record and 12-14 overall.
(2020-21) Roster changes ensued, but ninth-graders Wren, Davis and Walker remained constant as Roosevelt finished with an overall 4-12 record and 3-9 conference finish.
(2021-22) Armstrong, a sophomore guard, joined Wren, Davis and Walker as the Teddies overall record improved to 19-7 while finishing second in the city at 10-2.
(2022-23) With arrival of juniors Tamara Behl, Kiara Behl and Bennett, Roosevelt placed first in the conference with an 11-1 record, a Twin Cities title, and 25-4 finish overall as Wren and Walker reached the 1000-point career scoring mark.
This 2023-24 season is when the Teddies’ play came to full fruition. In addition to the state tournament appearance, Wren was named Minneapolis City Conference Player of the Year, and Wright and Michael Walker were named the top Class 3A Section 3 head and assistant coaches, respectively.
For Wright and Michael Walker, this season really hits close to home. Wright was an all-conference point guard and 2010 Roosevelt alum. Walker, a 1994 graduate and member of the boys basketball team during that time, went on to an outstanding four-year career at Southwest State University.
For Walker, it hit even closer to home after her daughter Jaida Walker’s freshman year.
“I was head coach of the boys program,” Michael Walker recalled. “After her freshman year [2020-21] my daughter asked me if I would coach the girls team with Coach Wright,” he continued. “I asked Coach Wright if I could volunteer, and she said yes.”
Michael Walker was on the bench the next three seasons.
Everything turned out just right.
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