His grandfather played in the 1982 World Cup in Cameron uniform: "Soccer has played a big part in my life" • His biological father is past basketball player Brian Oliver: "I haven't seen him since age 6, I don't call him dad" • And after returning to second term in the country, J.P. Tokoto Want to raise a trophy with Ness Ziona: "It's only 2 wins"

• Tokoto in the heart of the colony. "Very comfortable in Ness Ziona, I knew what to expect"

  Photo:

  Bernie Ardov

For more than a year I have been trying to get an interview with JP Tokoto, but every time it did not work out for different reasons. Once the player was not interested, in another case the timing did not match the team, and when he played early in the season in Spain, the geographical distance made it difficult to coordinate.

So when I sat down in front of him last Friday in one of the rooms in the heart of the Colony in Ness Ziona, I didn't know what to expect. The result? Much better than I thought. "I am very comfortable in Ness Ziona," he tells "Israel Today" in an interview for the semi-finals, "I kept in touch with friends from here so I knew what to expect."

Tokoto played at Hapoel Eilat last season and was one of the key factors in the qualification for the Final Four, despite a not-so-easy year with financial difficulties. "Nobody likes to work for free and we play basketball to make a living, and it really happened that there were a two-month period when we didn't get paid," he recalls. "Luckily there was a good atmosphere between the players, and it helped us get through the situation together."

Tokoto. Growing up on football // Photo: Bernie Ardov

Personal and group honors paid off, and in the summer, the Forward switched to Spanish Burgos' big money. The opening was good, but later his status declined until about two weeks ago he was released and a day later he signed at Ness Ziona. "We were not successful in some of the games and I had a hard time not having a major role. There were a lot of ups and downs in my status and so I decided to leave."

I heard you had more suggestions, why did you decide to go to Ness Ziona?
"I know a lot about the miracle of Zion and the options I had that felt most comfortable and good. I know some of the players, I knew what style of play, I remembered that I loved the energy and support of the fans and the coach also talked nicely with my agent."

What are the differences between Spanish and Israeli basketball?
"The biggest difference is the tactical aspect. Spain has more tactics and more attention to detail and also a lot of scouting. In Israel, it's a little different."

"I tried to contact him"

Tokoto (26) was born in Rockford, Illinois. His biological father is Brian Oliver, who played for Maccabi in 1995/6 and also spent several seasons at the BBC, but the two have not been in contact since JP was a little boy.

"I don't know what he was up to, what kind of person he was and what he did, but I know I'm his son and haven't seen him since I was 6," Tokoto says openly. "Over the years I tried to contact him even though my mother didn't want to, so My grandmother helped me, and he didn't respond. When I was 18 and going to college I sent him a message, and there was no answer. I know he was a great player, but I can't learn anything from him. , JM), who is now my father. Calling Brian Oliver my father or my son is not Pierre for my real father - my mother's husband today. "

Following the situation, Tokoto grew up with his grandmother and grandfather, named after him - Jean Pierre Tokoto, one of the outstanding midfielders of African football in the 1960s and 1970s, who even played in the Cameroon Cup in the 1982 World Cup.

In Eilat uniform. Arrived with the Southerners last year for the Final Four // Photo: Alan Shaver

"My childhood was great. I lived with my grandparents until my mother graduated, they took care of me and sent me to a football club. I practiced six days a week and football played a big part in my life. A very strong relationship between us. Sometimes when Dad isn't in the picture it does not make a difference, but I accepted everything and supported me from every direction. When I was 11, my mom got a wonderful job in Wisconsin and got to know my stepfather. "

So when did you move to play basketball?
"I played football from the age of 4 to the age of 15. I was in the park one day and I tried with curiosity to play basketball as well. There happened to be one basketball coach in the park and he saw me, a tall guy moving a little differently than everyone else, and asked me 'are you playing in any team?' And I said, 'No, I'm playing football.' He just accompanied me home and met my aunt who was 10 years older than me. He convinced her to persuade me to play basketball and I've made the change ever since. "

After a few years in Wisconsin, Tokoto was accepted into North Carolina College's senior basketball program under famed coach Roy Williams, and from that moment his career got on the right track. "To have the opportunity in such a place is crazy," he recalls, "to play for a legendary coach and where the actor Michael Jordan played is unbelievable. It's still something amazing to me."

In the summer of 2015, Tokoto decided to give up his fourth year at the colleges and signed up for a draft where he was selected in the 58th place in the second round. He has since tried his luck several times in the summer league, but has not found a team in the NBA. "My biggest dream is to play again in the US, at the BBC, in front of my family and friends. Show everyone what they missed. It would be great for my grandparents to be in my game for the first time since college, ”he says, and his eyes only shine at the thought of the prospect of his dream coming true.

"We have personality and talent"

Tokoto and Ness Ziona will meet Nahariya City tonight (Monday, 6:30 pm) and try to rise to the club's history for the Cup final. The player sounds confident in the chance of making history. "I'll be an idiot if I say we can't do it, it's just two games. We have a bunch of personality and talent. It's a matter of putting everything on the field in the right place for 40 minutes."