Prospect Spotlight 2019: Nendah Tarke
Nendah Tarke, 6’3″, WG, 2019. Bullis HS Bulldogs. Potomac MD.
Grassroots Team: MOCO Heat/Team Vito
We believe that Bullis HS will be a top 10 Washington, DC DMV team & that Nendah Tarke will be a starter for the Bulldogs. This could be a breakout year for Nendah who had a splendid spring & summer. Nendah played in the DeMatha BSN Summer League & the MD Elite summer League for Bullis HS. He displayed an excellent skill-set & overall game. In the MD Elite League Nendah exploded for 37 points in the semifinals & he was awarded Best Stock Riser, Best Defender and Play of the game which is shown in the last video at the bottom of the article. In Grassroots play Nendah averaged 15 ppg, 6 plus rebounds, over 4 assists & 3 plus steals per game for MOCO Heat/Team Vito. We expect similar stat sheet stuffing statistics for Nendah this coming season for the Bullis Bulldogs.
In each game Nendah played this summer he was very consistent & very rarely made a bad play. His playing style is very similar to James Harden & Nendah says,”When I watch players on You Tube or in games, I break them down & study their footwork, moves & overall skills in slow motion. The 2 players I pattern my game after are LeBron James, especially on his passing & James Harden.” Nendah’s basketball IQ is very, very high, and he is great player to watch. He is a complete player & usually makes several spectacular plays each game. Nendah comes from an athletic family & his older brother, 6’6″ Anthony plays for the NJIT Highlanders, who play in the Atlantic Sun Conference. Anthony is poised for a breakout sophomore campaign after averaging 10ppg as true freshmen and the D1 Highlanders just offered Nendah a full scholarship. Before the NJIT offer we projected Nendah D1 mid major & up.H e is one of the most under the radar players in Maryland/DC with a very high ceiling.
This summer Nendah displayed a huge offensive arsenal & lock down defense. He adds,” I have worked hard & I am a capable scorer at 3 levels & a triple threat, but I will continue to hone all of my basketball skills on both sides of the ball. While I am scorer I can create for others & facilitate. My ball handling is good, but I want to get my handle to a PG level. I consider myself a ball mover & I have the potential I want to develop into a PG skill set.” The explosive left handed Nendah can attack the rim from both sides and his dribbling is good with his right hand. He displays an array of moves in attacking the rim such a Euro Step, spin moves, crossovers or pulling up in the mid range. Nendah finishes very well thru contact & like James Harden spends a lot of time at the free throw line where he converts many of the old fashioned 3 point plays. He is very capable of bringing the ball up court in full court pressure & he can beat his opponent with power, speed, and finesse of the dribble moves.
Nendah has very good shot mechanics & we like his form and his quick & high release. He adds,”I am a better spot up 3 point shooter and capable off the dribble. This summer I have been working on my 3 ball & becoming more confident off the dribble. I can score, but I I am proud of my defense. I am a very good on ball defender & I can pick up my man full court.” Nendah has very good good lateral movement, stay lows, & his long wingspan helps him get into lanes for deflections. He is good for 3 steals per game & this summer has proved to be a lock down defender & Nendah is an excellent rebounder on both sides of the ball.
For the reminder of the summer Nendah will continue to train with Darren McClinton (Springbrook HS, JMU) and run pickups at Bullis HS. He adds,”We work on total body strength & conditioning, flexibility & explosion. Running, resistance bands, the ladder & overall S & C have helped me with my quickness & vertical. I get up in the air faster & higher & we train on finishing hard at the rim with a dunk. Additionally, we work on my overall skills & moves. Since April I have improved a lot in my dribbling, 3 point shot, overall skills & conditioning. My confidence is very high & I have become a leader.
In the classroom Nendah has a strong 3.0 GPA & Math is his favorite subject. He considers his mother, Anthony & Bullis Head Coach Bruce Kelly as his role models. We will be covering Bullis HS, Nendah and the IAC Conference very close this coming season with game reports & Recruiting Reports for the players. The IAC could be the 2nd best conference in the DMV behind the WCAC.
IAC Conference Teams:
Bullis Bulldogs HS. Potomac, MD (8-2, 18-6, IAC Champions)
Georgetown Prep Little Hoyas HS. Rockville, MD (9-2, 20-6)
St. Stephen’s & St Agnes Saints HS. Alexandria VA (6-4, 14-10)
St. Albans Bulldogs HS. Washington DC. (4-6, 14-12)
Episcopal Maroon HS. Alexandria VA. (3-7, 13-7)
Landon Bears HS. Bethesda, MD (1-10, 8-17)
Both videos courtesy of our friend Marc Stern @ Capitol Hoops.