Scouting power forward Tommy Ahneman ahead of 2026-27 Notre Dame basketball season

We’re almost there, almost back to the grind of another Notre Dame basketball season. Before you know it, there will be a foot of snow on the ground, temperatures will be below zero and another Atlantic Coast Conference game will be going up and down the court inside Purcell Pavilion. To get you ready for those nights and get you ready for a Notre Dame season that starts in Rome on November 1 against Villanova in the Eternal City Tip-off, we’ll take a numerical player-by-player look - from 0 to 51 with several stops in between - at the 2026-27 Notre Dame basketball team over the next 16 days (Monday, October 12 thru Friday, October 30). Who are these guys? What did they do last year? Where do they fit in this one? And what does fourth-year head coach Micah Shrewsberry think of them? Your snapshot of the 2026-27 Irish starts here. ∎ (15) Tommy Ahneman Hometown (High School/previous school): Fargo, North Dakota (Cretin-Derham Hall (Minn.) Dimensions: 6-foot-11, 250 pounds Projected position: Backup power forward Class: Freshman Notable number: Ahneman was the 2024 Gatorade player of the year in North Dakota. 25-26 stats: Did not play while redshirting following preseason left knee surgery. 26-27 outlook: Put to good use all he learned while watching last season and be the first big off the bench behind starter Logan Duncomb. Shrews on Ahneman: "He had a really good summer. He's competitive. He can score the ball around the basket. He can go and rebound and he's physical. College basketball is still new to him. He was here (last year). He saw it, but playing is a different deal. Looking forward to seeing him." Follow South Bend Tribune and NDInsider columnist Tom Noie on X (formerly Twitter): @tnoieNDI. Contact Noie at tnoie@sbtinfo.comThis article originally appeared on South Bend Tribune: Scouting power forward Tommy Ahneman ahead of 2026-27 Notre Dame basketball season