Holy Cross head coach praises Wisconsin wing John Tonje after big performance

Holy Cross basketball head coach Dave Paulsen praised John Tonje’s 23-point night after Wisconsin’s 85-61 win over the Crusaders on Monday night.

Tonje’s 23 points were the most by a Badger in their debut since at least 2000, surpassing Josh Gasser’s 21-point debut in 2010. He also chipped in with five rebounds and shot a perfect 8-8 mark from the foul line.

Holy Cross’ staff certainly appeared to have scouted the first-year Wisconsin playmakers ahead of the season opener on Monday. Here’s what Paulsen had to say about Tonje’s impact on UW’s unit:

“I think he was super aggressive in their two preseason contests,” Paulsen said after the game. “It seems like he’s got a pretty unshakable level of confidence, which you need to have to be a really good player. Without knowing the ins and outs of their team, he gives them that dynamic scoring presence that I think they need.”

https://twitter.com/ThePortalReport/status/1853819200906953101

Tonje arrived in Madison following a redshirt season at Missouri in 2023-24. After commanding a bulk of Wisconsin’s workload in just under 27 minutes vs. the Crusaders, it’s safe to assume the North Omaha, Nebraska, native will morph into a staple for head coach Greg Gard for the remainder of this season.

UW’s next game is slated for Nov. 9 against Montana State.

Story originally appeared on Badgers Wire

Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/holy-cross-head-coach-praises-181940766.html

Author : Badgers Wire

Publish date : 2024-11-05 18:19:00

Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the linked Source.