Nonconference Notes: Frontcourt

Starters:

Tim Abromaitis- The surprise of the season so far, our young redshirt sophomore has really blossomed in an expanded role. Now starting at small forward, he has scored in the double digits in all but one contest. His 15.7 points per game rank him fifteenth in the Big East, no small feat when playing alongside the leading scorer in the conference. He has been incredibly efficient on offense (his offensive rating is 8th in the country) and has only used about 21% of team possessions when on the floor. Defense proved to be a bit of a struggle against Loyola Marymount, but there is nothing to complain about his performance on the offensive end (57% FG, 93% FT, 49% 3P).

Ty Nash- Has been up and down. Field goal percentage has improved a bit, but he continues to be a liability from the foul line. Rebounding has been rather disappointing. We need a starting power forward who can consistently pull down 7 or 8 a game. Nash has only managed more than five on two occasions. He has also racked up a lot of fouls, demonstrating that he needs some help stopping guys with his feet rather than his body.

Luke Harangody- By far the best player on the roster and one of the most talented guys in program history. He leads the conference in scoring and is fourth in rebounding. Overall field goal percentage is improved and he has been able to get more baskets inside than a year ago (though time will tell if he can keep it up). Of course, his annoying tendency to drift to the perimeter has been well documented. He has almost equaled his three point attempts from last year already and is only sinking 30%. Needs to also show a bit more focus on defense (along with the rest of the team) and stop complaining to the refs when calls don't go his way. Sometimes he seems to let his frustration make him ineffective for a couple series.

Off the Bench-

Carleton Scott- Another nice addition to the rotation this year. He has put in a few very good performances but has also disappeared in a few contests. If he can be more consistent in racking up the boards and providing some scoring off the bench, he could give Nash a run for the starting job.

Joey Brooks, Mike Broghammer, Jack Cooley- The freshman have just gotten mopup time so far and it looks like none of them will crack the rotation in conference play. That's a shame because a deeper bench would allow the starters to expend more energy on both ends of the floor. A guy like Brooks could be a solid defensive stopper if given enough minutes.

Abro Will Redshirt and Harden Update

Both stories here.

Smart move on Brey in saving Tim for another year. Joe Harden leads UC Davis in minutes, points, and rebounds so far this year. Good for him and best of luck.

End of the Bench

Starting our season preview in earnest today, we will take a look at the reserves who will not be getting a lot of action this year.

Tim Abromaitis-

The 6'8", 232 pound sophomore forward from Unionville, Connecticut played sparingly last season. Scoring 1.7 PPG in 12 contests, Abro provides decent size on the wing and might see some time as a Rob Kurz-type high post player. Probably still a year away from serious minutes.

Tim Andree-

A second generation Notre Dame forward, the junior walk-on from New Jersey plays a bit like Zach Hillesland. Tall and lean at 6'8", 213 pounds, he will probably not see any more action than his five games last year.


Tom Kopko-

The sophomore walk-on from Chicago turned down a few D1 offers to attend Notre Dame. With solid ball-handling skills, Kopko can run the offense. As he fourth point guard (behind Jackson, K-Mac, and Peoples), he will only see more playing time due to a starter's injury or possession of marijuana.

Ty Proffitt-

The backup point guard played in eight contests last season and transferred back home to Morehead State in August. Best of luck to him.

Ben Hansbrough and Scott Martin-

Two very talented transfers will not see action in the regular season this year, but will contribute next season.

Newcomers

With the Irish picked to finish 9th in the Big East (certainly no one around the program truly believes the team will finish that low, but being underrated is rarely a bad thing), it's time to take a closer look at the guys who make up our squad. First, the freshmen.

#21 Tim Abromaitis- 6-8/220, Unionville, CT

A two-star recruit on Scout.com, Abromaitis (correct spelling) projects as a small forward on the college level. He was also recruited by Northwestern, Penn, Princeton, and William and Mary. Birthday is 9/17/1989, making him the youngest player on the team.

#1 Tyrone Nash- 6-8 / 220, Queens, NY

Nash is the most ready of the freshmen to make an impact. A three-star recruit, he certainly looks far more prepared than fellow three-star classmate Scott. Playing both forward positions, he will be the first to wear Chris Thomas' old number. Notre Dame beat out several schools including Georgetown, Indiana, and Marquette for his signature.

#13 Ty Proffitt- 6-4 / 206, London, KY

A two star recruit out of high school, Proffitt will look for playing time at both guard positions. Also recruited by (Western, Eastern, and University of) Kentucky, Proffitt hit a game winning shot to secure his high school team's regional championship and was all-state his sophomore and junior years.

Carleton Scott- 6-7 / 198, San Antonio, TX

On the surface, Scott is a promising, if undersized, prospect. He might need a year or two to grow into his body, but has the best upside of the class. Can play both forward positions. Was also recruited by Georgetown.

Thomas Kopko- 6-0/175, Bubank, IL

Kopko is a freshman walkon who was a two-star recuit according to Scout.com. He has no official ND bio yet and, judging by his picture, he's not happy about that.

Some fun facts: Abromaitis had a brother who played at Yale and father James played for UCONN and the Nets. Nash averaged a double-double his last two years in high school. Proffitt played varsity high school ball in 8th grade. Scott helped his high school team to go their first ever Texas state title game.

So now you know a little more about our youngest players. Tomorrow I will begin a little more game-oriented breakdown of the returners.