TOWSON, Md. – Towson University men's basketball seniors Brian Fobbs, Nakye Sanders and Dennis Tunstall traveled to York Road from different directions to form a rock-solid trio.
 
Tunstall showed up first five years ago as a wide-eyed freshman immediately out of high school. Sanders came next, a grizzled veteran who played his first two years at Duquesne. Finally, Fobbs arrived last year after a decorated career at Genese Community College unsure of what to expect.
 
"They embraced me well," Fobbs said of the reception he received from Tunstall and Sanders. "Coming from junior college, you don't know what to expect transitioning to Division I basketball. They welcomed me with open arms and showed me how to be successful. They were helpful in so many ways that you wouldn't imagine. I thank God for those guys."
 
The triumvirate will play the final games of their lives at SECU Arena this week when the Tigers welcome William & Mary on Thursday and Elon on Saturday. Of course, they'll have many more practices in the cozy confines of their home arena as Towson's regular season concludes next weekend at Hofstra and Northeastern.
 
Then there's the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) Tournament at the Entertaining & Sports Arena in Washington, D.C. So they will play at least five more games together. However, they have their eyes competing in many more games beyond those five. Not for the obvious rewards and treats that would bring, but because it would mean more time together.
 
"This is my favorite team I've been on," Sanders said. "I haven't had a winning career in college and the fact that it's happening in my senior year is special. It means everything because time is limited. Everybody gets along. I mean we fight here and there but it's nothing major because we're battling and we have a lot of competitive guys here. We have fun all the time. I can't even put into words what this season feels like."
 
As competitors and friends, Sanders, Fobbs and Tunstall also understand the importance of each other's role on the team. They have a mutual admiration and respect for one another. It was displayed when they were all asked to discuss each person. There were a lot of laughs and awe when they reflected how blessed they are to play with each other.
 
Tunstall
On Sanders: "I feel like he's grown a lot as a person, mostly on and off the court. He handles his anger a lot better than he did when he first got here."
 
On Fobbs: "I just love his attitude. He's never on people or get on them in the wrong way. He'll get on people and it won't be in a mean way."
 
Sanders
On Tunstall: "He's the toughest player. People don't see it because people always look at the boxscore. Most games out there, he does all the little things out there that helps us win. He goes unnoticed all the time. As players on the court, we know and we go over to him and tell him to keep going. He leads us defensively."
 
On Fobbs: "He's so focused. He got me on my gym-rat flow. I've never seen somebody who is that relentless in the gym. He's on his LeBron story in here and motivates me all the time. I am like what's Fobbs doing? I need to go get these extra shots up too. He helps everybody else. He pushes everybody else to a higher standard, which has helped elevate us. That's why I feel like we took that bigger jump from last year to this year."
 
Fobbs
On Sanders: "He's a great teammate and he looks out for all of us. He always has kind things to say and he gets on us a lot, but I think that's his way of showing his love and care for us. He's a great leader for us. In order for us to be successful, we need him to play well. He's been a big part of our season."
 
On Tunstall: "He's a lovable and fun guy to be around. He's kind of a goofball. We care about him and he cares about us. He brings a lot to the table that goes unnoticed to others outside of here. Having him here has helped a lot. (Tunstall and Sanders) know how to get it done, how to win and are high-character guys."
 
Sanders, Tunstall and Fobbs are battle-hardened veterans that have helped Towson enjoy a nice season. They all had memorable moments during their careers that they'll look back on with pride and be proud of the persistence, work ethic, and perseverance they displayed.
 
Those traits will forever make this threesome special and memorable.
 
2020 CAA TOURNAMENT TICKETS ON SALE
Tickets are now on sale for the 2020 Hercules Tires Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) Men's Basketball Championship Tournament.
 
The four-day tournament to determine the CAA champion and automatic qualifier to the NCAA Tournament will be held from Saturday, March 7 through Tuesday, March 10 at the Entertainment & Sports Arena in Washington, D.C.
 
The pairings and times will be released after the regular season ends on Sunday, March 1. The bracket can be found here: https://caasports.com/tournaments/?id=143.
 
Ticket booklets in the Towson section are currently on sale for each game of the tournament and can be purchased online at https://oss.ticketmaster.com/aps/towson/EN/buy/quickbuy/399 or by calling the Towson Ticket Office at 410-704-3330 / 1-855-TU-TIGER / 1-855-888-4437.
 
The Towson Alumni Association will be hosting a pre-game event before the Tigers' first game. For additional information, please visit http://webapps.towson.edu/ec/02200063/reception-invitation.html.