Basketball, football recruits choose Virginia Tech

Virginia Tech has received its first men’s basketball commitment for the Class of 2011 and its 12th football commitment for the Class of 2010.

Joining the Hokies’ hoops program is Robert Brown, a 6-4 175-pound shooting guard from East Ridge High in Clermont, Fla. Recruiting Web site Rivals.com ranks him as the 81st-best rising junior in the country.

It is becoming more common for recruits to commit early, as was the case with one of the two committed players for Tech’s 2010 class, 6-7 small forward Jarell Eddie, who committed last July.

Tech’s latest football pledge is Dominique Patterson, a 6-2 205-pound linebacker from King’s Fork High in Suffolk. Eight of Tech’s 12 commitments for the 2010 class are from Virginia.