Notre Dame coach Mike Brey announced Wednesday four high school seniors - Tim Abromaitis (Farmington, Conn.), Tyrone Nash (Queens, N.Y.), Ty Proffitt (London, Ky.) and Carleton Scott (San Antonio, Tex.) - signed national letters of intent to play for the Irish beginning next fall.
The four had previously given verbal commitments, but Brey's press conference made it official on the first day of the national signing period. The Irish coach was not allowed to comment on the recruits until Wednesday because of NCAA regulations.
"Four great fits for us," Brey said of his recruits. "All kids that understand they gotta compete in the classroom, they'll compete on the basketball court. They all bring us something a little bit different to our basketball program."
Abromaitis is a 6-foot-7, 210- pound forward who Brey said already shows a strong ability scoring the basketball. He averaged 25.7 points, 10.9 rebounds and two assists as a junior at Farmington High School. He also added 58 blocks and was named first-team All State by the Hartford Courant and New Haven Register.
Despite Abromaitis' strong numbers as a junior, Brey said he is still a few years away from developing into a Big East player.
"Abromaitis is a kid who I think could develop in time, maybe it's a little longer for him, he's got a young body," Brey said. "I just think he's gonna be a heck of a player because he can score the ball."
Nash is a 6-foot-7, 215-pound guard currently enrolled at Northfield Mount Hermen in Northfield, Mass. He graduated from Lawrence Woodmere Academy and is playing his fifth year in Massachusetts.
Nash averaged 17 points, 14 rebounds, five assists and three blocks per game as a senior in Long Island. Brey said Nash should be able to compete right away for Notre Dame and that the 6-foot-7 forward offers the Irish a longer guard than they've had recently.
"He's a strong defender and rebounder and a solid all-around player at both ends of the floor," Brey said. "His versatility will allow us to use him at a couple of different positions in the lineup."
The 6-foot-4, 193-pound Proffitt averaged 18.5 points and 7.5 assists as a junior at South Laurel High School, leading his team to a 28-6 overall record with a regional and district title. Brey said it was Proffitt's leadership qualities that stood out the most.
"He comes from a winning high school program," Brey said. "What I like most about him is that he has been a player who has made big plays in big games. He has a winner's mentality."
Scott is a 6-foot-8, 205-pound forward who has been injured on and off for the last two seasons. He averaged 12 points and eight rebounds during the 2003-04 season, and has spent the last two years playing with the T-MAC All Stars.
"Nash and Scott give you two body types that we haven't had here a lot of," Brey said. "I think that helps us."
Notes:
u Brey addressed the current situation regarding team captains before practice Wednesday. The Irish coach, who usually names his captains before the first game of the season, is in no rush this year due to the team's chemistry.
"Given how this group is kind of developing before my very eyes, I've kind of just held off to evaluate it, and really haven't even put it to a vote yet," Brey said. "I may not even put it to a vote before the first game."
Brey said in the past he has held a team vote and required that players submit a short essay describing why they nominated a certain player for team captain. And while Brey has been pleased with the leadership of senior guards Colin Falls and Russell Carter, as well as junior forward Rob Kurz, he still wants to wait.
"I think I almost want this group to kind of be together longer and then we'll vote," Brey said. "And we may vote after the [preseason] NIT, and we may vote at Christmas. I'm just kind of reading it, just taking a little bit different tone with this group."