The Harlem Globetrotters invited former Illinois State standout Tarise Bryson, the 2001 Missouri Valley Conference Player of the Year, to try-out for the team, Thursday.
The Decatur, Ill., native will join the Globetrotters Friday for a noon workout at Edwardsville (Ill.) High School, just prior to the team's game at the Savvis Center in St. Louis on Friday evening.
"We had a brief look at Tarise during our recent college tour," said Mannie Jackson, owner and chairman of the Globetrotters. "He is a lightning quick guard who is a good person and a proven scorer. We'll let him travel with the team for a few days and see how it goes."
A native of Decatur, Ill., Bryson was a three-time recipient of the Doug Collins Award, which is given to the team's most valuable player. He was a first team All-Valley selection in 2000 and 2001 and the was the 1999 Valley Newcomer of the Year.
In 2000-01, Bryson finished fourth in the nation in scoring (22.8 points per game) and led the league in scoring. He finished as ISU's sixth-leading scorer, just 505 points short of eclipsing the aforementioned Collins' 30-year-old scoring record.
Twice Bryson scored 41 points in a game, but his career was cut short after sustaining a season-ending wrist injury in the opening game of the 2001-02 season against Weber State.
Following the game in St. Louis, the Globetrotters will play in Springfield, Ill., on Jan. 4, Peoria, Ill., on Jan. 5, Rockford, Ill., on Jan. 6 and Normal, Ill., at Redbird Arena on Jan. 7.
