It's all in the family for the Rosemount Irish

There are a lot of reasons why Rosemount was undefeated entering 2023 and the heart of the high school girls basketball schedule. There's the poise and leadership of point guard [player_tooltip player_id='304920' first='Ava' last='Thompson'], the outstanding play of guard [player_tooltip player_id='339142' first='Avery' last='Moeller'], and the contributions [player_tooltip player_id='478366' first='Riley' last='Ang'], [player_tooltip player_id='569461' first='Lauren' last='Modrynski'] and [player_tooltip player_id='392469' first='Avery' last='Sheedy']. The Irish defense, of course, is almost always stellar. And then there is Sister Act 2 – senior [player_tooltip player_id='302263' first='Pearla' last='Teko-Folly'] and junior [player_tooltip player_id='339216' first='Ayelishka' last='Teko-Folly'] – whose level of play has risen substantially over the past year. The 6-foot sisters are getting the job done at both ends of the floor.   “Pearla and Ayelishka have been fantastic all year for us,” said Irish coach Chris Orr. “Both have patiently been waiting their turn. They trusted the process and that has shown this year. They have been a huge part of our continued success.”   Pearla the senior, who has committed to Iowa Wesleyan, is a starter for the Irish. Ayelishka comes off the bench. Both play big minutes. The only time one or the other are both on the sidelines, it seems, is when they are in foul trouble. In the past that was frequently. Today? Not so much. “They know the reward for them for staying out of foul trouble is they get to play together on the court and they absolutely love that and they flourish together,” Orr said.   Pearla is a great rebounder at both ends of the court. She is a high-energy player who does a lot of the little things that may not show up in the box score. “She is currently our screen assist leader,” said the coach by way of example. Pearla is playing top 5 minutes and averaging 5 points and over 7 rebounds per game. Ayelishka is the better finisher of the two. She has developed nice touch around the rim, whether it's with her back to the basket or facing up and attacking off the dribble. With tremendous length and impressive elevation, she is also a really good shot blocker. Ayelishka is averaging nearly 8 points and over 5 rebounds per game while shooting 69% from the field. Both are much improved.   “I wouldn't really pinpoint one area, but just focus on their overall development from year to year,” Orr said. “They have both put in the work to be prepared for their time and their time is now. If I had to pick a couple of areas it would be their footwork around the basket – we have and continue to put a lot of emphasis on that – and then their communication. To me communication shows confidence on the court and both of them have really improved in that area.”   Rosemount is no stranger to successful sisters. Senior [player_tooltip player_id='186142' first='Nicole' last='O'Neil'], who has been sidelined so far this year by injury, is one of the best shooters in the state and is bound for the University of Minnesota-Duluth. Her older sister Larisa is a junior at Hamline University who is in the starting lineup. Nearly a decade ago there were the Grim siblings – Hannah and Nikki – who had plenty of success. Hannah, a 2014 graduate, played at Marquette and Palm Beach Atlantic. So the Teko-Follys aren't the first sister act and they won't be the last.   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepgirlshoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2023/01/Ramlal-sisters.jpg?w=874" alt="" class="wp-image-578381" width="437" height="512" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Arshia, Amisha & Ashna Ramlall</figcaption></figure>   The Ramlal trifecta is up next   Meet the Ramlals – Amisha, Arshia, and Ashna. Stop by the Hope Fieldhouse in Rosemount pretty much any day of the week and you'll find the three of them diligently working on their craft. All three have plenty to offer but their core competency is clear: These three can shoot the heck out of the basketball!   Amisha Ramlall is a 5'9 guard in the Class of 2027. Her twin sister Arsha Ramlall stands about 5'7. And little sister Ashna Ramlall is a 5'8 guard in the Class of 2028. They aren't having a huge impact on Rosemount's varsity fortunes just yet. Give it time. Chances are the Ramlall sisters will be worth the wait. “They love the game and they love the process of putting in the work to learn and improve! More often than not they are the first three in the gym and the last three to leave,” said Coach Orr.   During the holiday break, Rosemount had a two-hour open gym for kids in the youth travelling program. The Ramlalls used that time to put in some work. Then the varsity had a two-hour practice and they were busting tail there, too. For Amisha, Arsha and Ashna it was just another day. With incredibly supportive parents, the sisters have what they need to be as good as they can possibly be. The sisters aren't the only hoopers in the family, either. Their brother Anish is a standout senior at Rosemount who has committed to St. Cloud State.   Last week I watched Rosemount face Spring Lake Park at the new District 196 tournament at Eastview. In that game Amisha made a brief appearance on varsity in a close game. She's probably the most advanced of the three at this point. Orr said she has been used when the team is in foul trouble or needs a spark. “It's just a matter of time with her and us just really trying to let her get comfortable and bring her along slowly,” Orr explained. “There is no real reason for us to throw her to the wolves yet. It's not a matter of lack of skill, that's for sure! She's as talented as they come for an 8th grader.”   We haven't watched the Ramlalls enough yet to provide an accurate, comprehensive evaluation. We'll focus carefully on the 2027s this summer when they'll return to the Minnesota Fury. “All three are phenomenal ball handlers,” said Orr. “Amisha is probably the more well-rounded one on the court as of now. She's a little longer, better at finishing at the rim and attacking the basket. Arshia is probably the better passer and distributor of the ball, and Ashna probably has the quickest release of all of them.”   As we all know, defense has long been Rosemount's calling card. It's how they've compiled such an impressive record of success, it's how they made it to the state tournament last spring. If you wear the uniform of the Irish, you'd better be able to defend or you'll find yourself at the end of the bench. “Defensively they all have really good instincts and a feel for the game,” Orr said. “We just have a certain standard that we go by. I just have to keep reminding myself that they are still in middle school which is a good problem to have!”

There are a lot of reasons why Rosemount was undefeated entering 2023 and the heart of the high school girls basketball schedule. There's the poise and leadership of point guard Ava Thompson Ava Thompson 5'6" | PG Rosemount | 2024 State MN , the outstanding play of guard Avery Moeller Avery Moeller 5'10" | CG Rosemount | 2024 State MN , and the contributions Riley Ang Riley Ang 5'7" | CG Rosemount | 2026 State MN , Lauren Modrynski Lauren Modrynski 5'10" | SF Rosemount | 2023 State MN and Avery Sheedy Avery Sheedy 5'10" | SF Rosemount | 2024 MN . The Irish defense, of course, is almost always stellar. And then there is Sister Act 2 – senior Pearla Teko-Folly Pearla Teko-Folly 6'0" | SF Rosemount | 2023 State MN and junior Ayelishka Teko-Folly Ayelishka Teko-Folly 6'0" | SF Rosemount | 2024 State MN – whose level of play has risen substantially over the past year. The 6-foot sisters are getting the job done at both ends of the floor.