Four-star C Tommy Ahneman commits to Notre Dame men’s basketball

Notre Dame men’s basketball has its fourth class of 2025 commitment in eight days. This time, the Irish secured a pledge from four-star center Tommy Ahneman.

Originally from West Fargo, N.D., Ahneman moved to the Twin Cities over the summer and will play for St. Paul (Minn.) Cretin-Derham Hall this season. He’s the No. 170 player and No. 16 center in the On3 Industry Ranking, but On3 has him ranked as the No. 58 player and No. 8 center in the nation.

“Notre Dame, I’m coming to win the whole the damn thing,” Ahneman told On3’s Joe Tipton.

Ahneman’s recruitment exploded this summer, as the 6-foot-11, 235-pound center with a 7-foot-2 wingspan averaged 20.7 points and 8.1 rebounds per game with Howard Pulley on the EYCL Circuit. The Irish got involved on July 1, and they haven’t looked back.

“Coach [Micah] Shrewsberry is an amazing coach,” Ahneman told Blue & Gold in July. “I feel like he has a really good idea of how to develop me for the college level, and even possibly the next level after that — if I, by the grace of God, even have the chance to do that.

“Coach [Kyle] Getter and Coach Shrewsberry are the two that I talked to the most, and they’re awesome. And then just the history and the culture that is Notre Dame is also super intriguing.”

Ahneman’s post game is a rare commodity, and it enticed Notre Dame to add him to its roster. The Irish love his footwork, hands, and constant activity in the paint.

Ahneman joins five-star small forward Jalen Haralson, four-star small forward Ryder Frost and four-star power forward Brady Koehler in Notre Dame’s 2025 class, which ranked No. 4 in the country before its latest pledge.

Koehler got the ball rolling this past Monday. Haralson committed Wednesday, and Frost followed suit on Friday. Ahneman is likely the last domino — at least for now — of an all-time heater for Shrewsberry and the Irish.

Scouting report on Notre Dame C commit Tommy Ahneman

“Already standing 6-foot-11 and weighing 235 pounds, Tommy Ahneman looks the part. He has good length with wide-set shoulders that allow one to think that he should be able to continue adding good weight without losing much mobility or athleticism.

“Where Ahneman excels is with his post work on the block. He is equipped with excellent footwork and an innate feel for angles. He sets up a wide target on his spot on the block and then feels the defender to counter which direction he goes. Ahneman has a couple of go-to moves on the block and he also has a counter for each.

“Ahneman has soft, passer-friendly hands, and he has touch over both shoulders. He can absorb contact and finish the play. While his footwork, size, and body control allow for a lot of clean looks on the block, he is an adept passer, able to make the simple reads out of the post.

“While Ahneman is as good of a low-block scorer as I have evaluated over the past five or so recruiting cycles, he does not do much outside of 15 feet. He has touch, so extending his range will be something to key in as he continues to develop and progress his game. Also, continuing to work on his lateral quickness and stamina. The 6-foot-11 post has a good straight-line burst. When he loads his feet he can finish through contact and over would-be defenders. Continuing to work on his hip flexibility and defensive footwork will go a long way with him.

“With that said, there are simply not a lot of players over the last few recruiting cycles, that you can set up on the block, feed an entry pass, and be confident they can get a bucket. Tommy Ahneman is that guy.”

— On3 national basketball recruiting analyst Jamie Shaw