The Wisconsin basketball team worked hard to replace the group of guards they lost to the transfer portal by landing a talented guard.
John Tonje, a former Missouri Tigers guard, entered the transfer portal for a short time before committing to the Wisconsin basketball program. Tonje began his collegiate basketball career with Colorado State University and after four seasons, the guard transferred to Missouri. Now, Wisconsin hopes that Tonje can return to the same player he was when he attended CSU during his final year of play.
Wisconsin Basketball Takes a Potential Risk With Transfer Guard John Tonje
For the Wisconsin basketball staff, sometimes success does not come without taking calculated risks, and one such commitment could be a question mark. Missouri transfer guard John Tonje will spend his final year of eligibility with the Wisconsin basketball team, marking his third program. Tonje is a tall guard, measuring in at 6-feet-6-inches and still possessing excellent speed.
Tonje is a season removed from his best season during his collegiate career which occurred during his final season with Colorado State University. The guard averaged 14.6 points and 4.6 rebounds per game while shooting 47.3% from the floor. Tonje also shot 38.9% from long-range and averaged nearly two triples per game.
Tonje transferred to Missouri after four seasons with Colorado State, and was met with plenty of adversity between injuries and failing to crack the lineup. The guard struggled, and limited play certainly did not help his cause either. However, both Tonje and the Wisconsin basketball staff believe he can return to his old form this upcoming season.
A Year Removed From Success, Can Tonje Return to His Old Self?
While injuries may have slowed down Tonje a bit last season, what really killed the guard was his 28% turnover rate in just eight games played. His turnovers were not a cause of trying to make something happen, but often rather they were mental mistakes that slowed both the guard and the team down.
There is certainly no doubt that his lone season with Missouri was not a representation of the player that Tonje actually is. The guard has struggled with turnovers all of his career, but his play otherwise when on the court with the Tigers was solid as he shot 50% from the floor and nailed seven-straight free throws.
The potential is certainly there for Tonje, the real question is whether or not he will be able to put it all together again like he did two seasons ago.
What Does Tonje Offer the Wisconsin Badgers Basketball Team?
When Tonje is both healthfully and playing up to his potential, the guard is a dynamic scorer that likes to pressure the rim. In his short play last season, Tonje shot 67% when near the rim which accounted for 25% of his total field goal attempts. The guard is also skilled to the right side of the court, nailing 50% of his shots from the right side which accounted for 34% of his shot selection.
In particular, the right baseline and the top right corner of the three-point line are the two most effective spots on the court for Tonje. The guard also loves to shoot from the left-hand corner from deep where he averaged an attempt per game two seasons ago.
When needed, the guard can also become a pull-up shooter who can stop on a dime to drop a bucket from the elbow. Tonje found an extreme amount of success pulling up from mid-range during his time with Colorado, but got away from it last season for one reason or another. Returning to his old shooting habits could be key to turning around his game.
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