MEAC Basketball: Ranking of 25 best players from last decade (2013-23)

6. Anthony Tarke

Tarke is a 6’6 wing from Gaithersburg, Maryland who played collegiately at three different schools. He got his start at NJIT and was a decent weapon for two seasons before transferring to UTEP. Unfortunately, he had a minor role with those Miners and would transfer again, arriving at Coppin State during the pandemic. He’d spent just his senior year with the Eagles but it was quite the season.

In one of Coppin State’s best seasons in recent memory, Tarke helped lead the program to an 8-4 finish in MEAC play in a limited schedule affected by the pandemic. This was about more than just the team though, as Tarke had incredible numbers, averaging 16.1 points, 8.2 rebounds, 3.6 assists, 2.6 steals, and 1.9 blocks for the Eagles. Simply put, he did it all for Coppin State, including a career-high 34-point effort in an upset win over UNC Greensboro.

In that lone season in the conference, Tarke was named both MEAC Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year. One of the league’s top scorers, he led the conference in rebounds, blocks, steals, and field goal percentage, just coming to Coppin State and instantly becoming a menace for the rest of this conference. Tarke did play just 22 games in the MEAC, but it was still plenty enough to show his strength and talent for all to see.