UNC's JP Tokoto Ready to Show off New Skills Against Old Friends at Wisconsin

For a few key players, Wisconsin's Sweet 16 battle against North Carolina will be a lot more personal.

As the two sides battle for a spot in the Elite Eight, much of the focus will be on stars like Frank Kaminsky, Nigel Hayes, Brice Johnson and Marcus Paige. However, there is a good chance the game will come down to the efforts of three players who know each other well: Sam Dekker, Bronson Koenig and J.P. Tokoto.

The three Wisconsin natives all played together on the same Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) team, the Wisconsin Playground Warriors. They dominated the local circuit together as well as separately on their respective high school teams.

In 2012, Dekker was named the state's Associated Press Player of the Year while Tokoto and Badgers reserve guard Zak Showalter also earned first-team honors. A year later, Koenig was named the best player in the state.

These were clearly the top players the area had to offer, even though they didn't look all that intimidating at the time:

When it came time to decide where to attend college, these players came extremely close to joining forces for what could have been a scary collection of stars for opposing teams.

Dekker stayed home. Koenig did as well a year later despite seriously considering UNC. This duo is now a key part of the Badgers' quest to get to another Final Four. In the end, though, Tokoto ended up being the odd man out by choosing North Carolina over Wisconsin.

So what made him decide to play for the Tar Heels instead of staying home?

"Definitely style of play," Tokoto said after committing in 2011, via Rob Reischel of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. "Both coaches are loving guys that really care about their players. They really have a passion for what they do, which made the decision that much harder. Stay at home or leave the state. That's what it pretty much came down to."

He irked some Wisconsin fans at the time when he also stated UNC "felt like it was home to me," via Jim Polzin of Madison.com. However, it's difficult to argue with his thoughts on the style of play.

According to kenpom.com, North Carolina currently utilizes the 12th-fastest pace in the country while Wisconsin ranks 346th with just 59 possessions per game. This difference not only makes the game funner for a young player, but it is the perfect fit for someone with Tokoto's abilities.

Grant Halverson/Getty Images

The 6'5" junior hasn't been a great scorer this season, averaging just 8.4 points per game to rank fifth on the team. He has only reached double figures in one of his past six games.

Still, his contributions are a major reason the Tar Heels are still playing on the second weekend of the NCAA tournament.

After being little more than just a great athlete who couldn't shoot over his first two years with the team, he has since learned how to use his athleticism and basketball IQ to contribute in other ways. He now fills up the stat sheet with an average of 5.6 rebounds and 4.3 assists per game, the latter being extremely important for a squad without a true point guard.

He has also become an elite defender thanks to his length and quickness, and he's usually asked to slow down an opponent's best player while adding 1.5 steals per game.

Jon Rothstein of CBS Sports summed it up well:

In Thursday's battle against the Badgers, Tokoto might end up having to show off this defensive ability against an old friend in Dekker. Considering Brice Johnson's defensive struggles against Notre Dame, the coaching staff would probably prefer a different strategy against players who can stretch the floor with their shooting.

While Wisconsin has plenty of top contributors, Dekker has been huge in the NCAA tournament with 37 points scored in two games. If Tokoto can slow him down, it will really limit the Wisconsin attack.

Of course, the rest of the guard's abilities will be needed in this matchup as well. More than anyone else on the roster, Tokoto can grab a rebound and push the action to create a fast-break attempt on the other end of the floor. This will make a slower team uncomfortable and put the defense on its heels.

Although he is unlikely to lead his team in scoring, he will be the X-factor in what should be a very competitive contest.

If he can play to his abilities and help North Carolina pull off the upset, it might help justify his decision to play for Roy Williams. On the other hand, Dekker, Koenig and a whole bunch of fans watching along will hope he ends the weekend with nothing but regret.

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