Shrewsberry Signs Top-20 Ranked Recruiting Class

SOUTH BEND, Ind. – Glenn & Stacey Murphy Notre Dame Men’s Basketball Head Coach Micah Shrewsberry continued to build the foundation of Irish hoops by announcing three Class of 2024 signees. Cole Certa, Sir Muhammed and Garrett Sundra all signed their National Letters of Intent on Wednesday and officially became Irish. 

Shrewsberry, who started this current season with a talented four-member freshman class that was ranked in the top-30, has now built upon that with a 2024 class that is ranked as high as No. 19 by 247Sports. The trio of Cole Certa (6-5 guard from Le Roy, Illinois), Sir Muhammed (6-6 guard from Charlotte, North Carolina) and Garrett Sundra (6-11 forward form Ashburn, Virginia) also rank as the fifth best class in the ACC by 247Sports. 

Coach Shrewsberry on the 2024 signing class 

“We are thrilled to welcome three tremendous young men into the Notre Dame family. I am very proud of the job we were able to do on the recruiting trail in this class by landing Cole Certa, Sir Mohammed and Garrett Sundra.

“When we got the job here, we put a premium on bringing in players who fit our team on the court as well as off the court. All three of these young men are not only tremendous basketball players, as evidenced by the fact that this is ranked as one of the top recruiting classes not only in the ACC, but in the country as well, but they are also excellent students who fit the mission and the culture of Notre Dame.”

Cole Certa
6-5 Guard from Le Roy, Illinois
IMG Academy | Illinois Wolves (Under Armour Association)

Certa spent his junior year at Bloomington Central Catholic where he led the Saints to a 26-12 record and Illinois Class 2A runner-up finish. He earned First Team All-State honors after averaging 26.1 points, 5.3 rebounds and 2.4 assists. Certa also knocked down 115 triples during his junior campaign. 

Furthermore, Certa played on the Illinois Wolves as part of the Under Armour Elite 24 event. 

A four-star prospect ranked 74th overall by 247Sports and 89th by ESPN, Certa will spend his senior year at the IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida. 

Coach Shrewsberry on Cole Certa 

“Cole is a young man who we began recruiting before we even got to Notre Dame. Once we arrived in South Bend, we knew Cole was a must get recruit. In my mind he is the best shooter in the entire country, but he can do more than just shoot. Cole is also a tremendous passer, has good size for his position, and is someone who knows how to play. Add in that he has been very well coached by Mike Mullins with the Illinois Wolves, and now by Sean McAloon at IMG Academy, as well as coming from a fantastic family, and we as a program couldn’t be more excited about what he will accomplish wearing a Notre Dame uniform.”

Staff on Certa

As a top 100 recruit, Cole Certa is a big part of the future here at Notre Dame. We build our offense based on floor spacing and basketball IQ, and Cole helps in both roles.

Cole is an elite outside shooter who showed off his ability to make shots all summer long running with the Illinois Wolves in the Under Armour Association. He has range that extends well beyond the three-point line, and then also has the confidence to fire when open, and a quick release that allows him to get off his shot even when defenders are closing out to him.

Beyond that, Cole is an extremely intelligent player. He is a good passer, can handle the ball well, and should be able to attack bad closeouts and finish in the lane, as well as getting by his man and making the correct pass to a teammate.

Beyond what he is on the court, Cole is a special kid off the floor as well. He comes from a tremendous family, and is someone who really embraced everything about Notre Dame and what it stands for in the recruiting process.

Cole picked the Fighting Irish over Illinois, Creighton, Wisconsin, Butler, Nebraska, Northwestern, and others.

Sir Mohammed
6-6 Guard from Charlotte, North Carolina
Myers Park High | Team Curry (Under Armour Association)

Mohammed led Myers Park High to a 28-4 record, a national ranking and a 4A State championship title as a junior (first state championship game for Myers Park in more than 60 years). Mohammed earned Second Team All-State honors after averaging 13.5 points, 5.3 rebounds 4.9 assists and 1.9 steals.

Mohammed is the No. 42 rated prospect in his class by 247Sports, which is the second highest ranked recruit to sign with Notre Dame in the last decade. ESPN has Mohammed as the sixth best recruit in the state of North Carolina and 19th for his position. 

In addition, Mohammed played for Team Curry 17U this past summer on the Under Armour Next Circuit where he averaged 8.4 points and 4.3 assists. 

Coach Shrewsberry on Sir Mohammed 

“From the moment I saw Sir during his sophomore season, I knew he was someone that we had to get. The first thing I look for in a player is intelligence on the court, and no one has a better feel for the game than Sir does. He can play point guard at 6-foot-6, and is also a gifted scorer as well as someone who will defend. His father, Nazr, was a long time NBA player and a current executive in the league, and his mother, Mandi, has been around the game her whole life, and is a coach as well on the youth level. They have instilled a work ethic in Sir that is unmatched, and as evidenced by his wide ranging recruitment which stretched coast-to-coast, that has made him one of the premier players in the entire country.”

Staff on Mohammed

There is no player we recruited longer in the class of 2024 than Sir Mohammed. Sir was immediately identified as a top priority for us, and we were thrilled when he decided to join our program.

Sir is someone who at 6-foot-6 can play point guard, can play on the wing, and is simply one of the most versatile players in the class of 2024.

We have had a lot of success with bigger guards who can attack off the dribble, score in the post, and have tremendous feel for the game. Mohammed is a player who fits that description, and does it with tremendous size and strength.

Beyond basketball, you will not find a nicer and more respectful kid than Sir. His dad, Nazr, played in the NBA for over a decade and his mother, Mandi, who is a coach herself, did a fantastic job raising Sir, and he is a favorite of everyone at his high school, not only in the athletic department, but the school in general.

Sir picked Notre Dame over Villanova, Marquette, Stanford, Virginia Tech, St. John’s and others.

Garrett Sundra
6-11 Forward from Ashburn, Virginia
Paul VI Catholic | Team Takeover (Nike EYBL)

Sundra has been a key contributor on a loaded Paul VI Catholic squad, who went 31-4 last season en route to a state title. The year prior, the Panthers dominated as well, claiming  the 2022 Bass Pro Tournament of Champions crown. 

Sundra competes on the Nike EYBL Circuit on Team Takeover, who have won back-to-back Peach Jam championships. Sundra showed off his touch in and around the paint on the EYBL Circuit, shooting 36-of-54 from two. 

A four-star prospect by ESPN and top-100 overall recruit, Sundra ranks fifth in his state and 20th at his position. Lastly, he is the first Notre Dame scholarship player from the Commonwealth of Virginia. 

Coach Shrewsberry on Garrett Sundra

“The Washington D.C. area has always been a great place for Notre Dame to recruit, and Paul VI High School is one of the premier programs in that area. Playing with the loaded Team Takeover program in the Nike EYBL, as well as with Paul VI, Garrett is someone who has stood out when matched up against the best of the best in the country. Being 6-foot-11, Garrett is a tall player, but he is not a traditional back to the basket, only scorer. He has the skill and IQ to play on the perimeter, as well as possessing the ability to score down low. As he gets stronger under the guidance of our strength coach, Greg Miskins, the sky’s the limit for the impact Garrett can make for our program.”

Staff on Sundra

Garrett is a fantastic kid whose best basketball is clearly ahead of him. He is extremely tall at 6-foot-11, but don’t let that fool you, he is also very versatile, and not just someone who relies on scoring on the low block. 

At his height, Garrett can stretch the floor out beyond the three-point line, he can attack slower players off the dribble, and he also has athleticism which allows him to finish above the rim and potentially be a very good rim protector in the future as well.

He will continue to get stronger under the guidance of Strength Coach Greg Miskinis, and as that happens, his game will continue to expand.

A highly thought of prospect, Sundra chose Notre Dame over offers from Maryland, Virginia Tech, Butler, Iowa, Miami and Penn State.

— ND –