Get Well Shark

Doctors at a Las Vegas hospital decided to keep storied former UNLV basketball coach Jerry Tarkanian overnight Wednesday for observation after a mild heart attack, despite originally planning to release him, a hospital spokeswoman said.

(AP File Photo)

The heart attack was mild, Danny Tarkanian said. He said his father feels OK, but was scared when the attack happened.

Tarkanian’s daughter, Jodie Diamant, told the Las Vegas Review-Journal her father started wheezing during a doctor’s visit on Tuesday and was taken to the hospital. An EKG test showed he was having a heart attack.

Tarkanian coached the Runnin’ Rebels for 19 seasons from 1973 through 1992, taking his team to back-to-back Final Fours and winning the school’s first national championship in 1990. He finished with a 509-105 record at the school.

Tarkanian, nicknamed “Tark the Shark,” was known during his career as much for his wins on the court as his colorful personality and clashes off the court with NCAA and school administrators.

UNLV has embraced the coach since then, naming its basketball floor for him and hiring one of his former players, Dave Rice, to coach the team.