Tom Krizmanich's attraction to Notre Dame was never in question. But ND's attraction to him was.

It isn't anymore.

The former Warsaw High School basketball standout earned the attention of Irish head coach John MacLeod and the coaching staff enough to earn a chance to walk on and play for the Irish hoop team this upcoming season. A chance at a scholarship is still a real possibility, if not for the upcoming season, then his chances will get better as his career at Notre Dame goes on.

Notre Dame has four scholarships available for the 1997-98 school year and three of those appear to be spoken for with three recruits. That leaves one scholarship up in the air for the walk-ons to battle for.

"I think it is going to be a fight between the walk-ons," Krizmanich said. "The best walk-on is going to get the scholarship. He (MacLeod) told me I could earn a scholarship. Really, it is up to me and how well I do."

MacLeod said that the scholarship was not necessarily going to a walk-on, but with the success of former South Bend St. Joesph's star Pete Miller, who received a scholarship and started as a senior last year after being a walk-on for most of his entire career, it is not out of the question for a walk-on to earn the scholarship.

"Pete Miller came in here as a freshman and didn't play much as a freshman if even at all, and just kept working and working with no scholarship," MacLeod said. "He eventually wound up being a starter his senior year on a full scholarship. It would be hard to project or predict at this stage. A lot will depend on how tough-minded and how hard a worker he is."

With a father (Tom) who is a 1971 ND graduate, a sister (Amy) who is a senior at the university and grandparents who live just beyond right field of the Irish baseball diamond, it was a family tradition for the 6-foot-4 Krizmanich to attend Notre Dame. Krizmanich's blood was Gold and Blue from a very young age.

"Notre Dame was a place that was instilled in me when I was very young," Krizmanich said. "I have pictures of me when I was 2 years old in my Notre Dame jumpers.

"My Dad and I have gone up for football and basketball games since I was in kindergarten," he said. "Obviously with my grandparents living up in Notre Dame and my dad growing up there, it has always been something that has been close to me and my family."

Krizmanich's interest in the Irish was a given, but to continue his basketball career and fulfill his dream of attending ND, he needed to gain the attention of MacLeod and staff.

After being a role player on a talent-laden Final Four team in his junior season, Krizmanich had to do something worthwhile in his senior season to even get a second look. He did just that by averaging 21 points and 7 rebounds a game, while shooting 60 percent from the field. He also usually guarded the opponent's best big man.

"The year before last we had a lot of talent on the team, so playing time was a lot more limited than my senior season," Krizmanich said. "In my senior year, I was looked to pick up the scoring and rebounding. All aspects of my game were needed to take a major leap. In doing that for the team, it worked out for myself."

It must have worked.

Krizmanich talked with the Irish coaches before the Providence/Notre Dame game last winter. Eventually, Krizmanich was told they wanted him as part of the team, but with no financial consideration.

"He wants to be here," MacLeod said. "I know there is a Notre Dame background in the family. That is a positive for us. We feel good about that. He had a lot of play this year. He had people interested in him. He had a big year.

"He has been well-coached and involved in a winning program," he said. "As a walk-on, he is certainly going to add to our team. He knows how to play. He can shoot the ball. It looks like he is getting better and better. He is continuing to improve."

Krizmanich has received summer workout and class information. Because of the transfer of David Lazarian, the chance for the scholarship has opened up, but he won't know about that until the fall at the earliest.

"I had interest in other schools, but it would have taken something real drastic to take me away from Notre Dame," Krizmanich said. "I feel fortunate to have the opportunity to prove myself. I am in the situation where things could happen, but if things don't, I can fall back to just being a student."

Playing at Notre Dame also means a move to his more natural position of offguard or even possibly small forward. Because of a lack of height on the Warsaw team, Krizmanich played more of a power forward and center this past season. Even then, he showed signs of a good jump shot from beyond the arc and gets a chance to hone that craft while playing guard for the Tiffany's AAU team, which also includes Mr. Basketball Luke Recker, this summer.

"It wasn't a position I played this year because the team was lacking in height," Krizmanich said. "First and foremost, I have to work on upperbody strength. That is a big key. That is where most people have problems adjusting to is the physical level. It is just a whole different ball game with the strength needed to play at that level, and I need to increase my quickness and ballhandling."

Despite not a lot of experience at Krizmanich's position at Notre Dame, he is willing to be patient for his playing time as a freshman and take things in stride.

"I am going to go up there and do whatever I can," he said. "If that is playing against the guys who do start and trying to make them better, that is what I will do. It is just like starting all over in the system here. I will be a freshman again, and hopefully work my way up in four years."

Krizmanich, who finished in the top 20 in his senior class, plans to major in premed with the possibility of following in his Dad's footsteps and being an orthopedic surgeon.

"I am going to try to make it in one of the toughest fields at one of the toughest schools along with playing Division I basketball in the Big East," Krizmanich said. [[In-content Ad]]