TOWSON, Md. — Nendah Tarke knows what it’s like to practice as a Towson Tiger. Now he is preparing to know what it’s like to play as a Towson Tiger.
"Just excited, finally being out there with the guys," he said.
After months of relying on patience the redshirt junior guard now gets to rely on his pull-up.
"I’ve been practicing the whole [season] with them. So, just being out here it’s going to be fun."
Tarke will make his Towson University game debut Saturday when the Tigers men's basketball team take on Bryant at UBS Arena on Long Island, New York. Towson is taking advantage of Wednesday’s action by a federal judge in West Virginia who issued a 14-day temporary restraining order against the NCAA which nullified the NCAA’s rule stating college athletes who transfer a second time must sit out a season.
For Tarke, it’s time.
"[It’s] December. Now January is around the corner, February. So, time is going quick but I’m glad to finally be able to potentially be back out there," he said.
The Gaithersburg native’s situation is unique. In May he left Coppin State for Nicholls State but then had a change of heart. He decided he wanted to go to Towson instead. In September, the Tigers applied for a waiver to let Tarke play this season. He had been in limbo since.
"He actually never spent a night at Nicholls, a day, ate a meal, lifted a weight, practiced, sat in an actual classroom," said Towson head coach Pat Skerry. "Our argument all along was that he was not a two-time transfer because he never physically was at another institution."
There have been some dark days for Tarke while waiting.
"It takes a lot," he said. "You just got to be tough mentally."
Last week Tarke received the good news that his waiver was granted. He could play starting next week after the end of the semester. The wait was near its end.
Wednesday’s ruling is even better.
The Tigers are expecting big things from Tarke, who scored over 1,000 points over his three years at Coppin and is an elite defender.
Skerry now gets all of that for his team.
"We are going to play him. If we are able to play him we’re going to play him," said Skerry. "I can’t tell you he is going to start. I wouldn’t tell you he is not going to start. I will certainly tell you he is going to play. And the better he plays the more he is going to play."
That’s all Tarke ever wanted.
Follow Shawn Stepner on Twitter @StepnerWMAR and Facebook
