John Tonje had a rough outing in the Big Ten Tournament Championship, struggling offensively as he and his Wisconsin teammates battled fatigue after playing four games in four days. However, before that final game, Tonje was nothing short of dominant, putting up impressive performances of 18, 26, and 32 points to help lead the Badgers to the championship game.
As March Madness begins, predictions about potential breakout stars are in full swing. When The Field of 68 panel was asked which player could replicate Kemba Walker’s legendary NCAA Tournament run by single-handedly carrying his team deep into the tournament, founder Rob Dauster had a clear answer: John Tonje.
While Dauster and fellow analyst Jeff Goodman aren’t outright predicting a National Championship for Wisconsin, they believe that if any player in the tournament has the ability to lead his team all the way, it’s Tonje. His ability to take control of games was on full display in the Big Ten Tournament, making him a prime candidate for a dominant March run.
“I could see John Tonje averaging 28 a game and carrying Wisconsin past Montana, past BYU, past Alabama, past Duke into the Final Four and winning a National Championship,” Dauster said.
Goodman, visibly frustrated, admitted that Tonje was also his pick, exclaiming, “You took mine! That was my pick.” With his choice already taken, Goodman pivoted to selecting Braden Smith, though he didn’t seem as confident in that choice.
John Fanta joined in on the discussion, noting, “He’s coming off a 1-for-14 performance against Michigan.” Dauster, unfazed, responded, “Good, he’s due. He got it all out of his system.”
Tonje leading Wisconsin to a National Championship would be a dream scenario for Badgers fans. Now, the only thing left to do is watch and see if he can turn that dream into reality. On Wisconsin!
Leave a Reply