Cooks-ing up a plan

One of New Year's resolutions for Brandon Cooks is coming up with his top options list. The 6-foot-8 forward from Genesis One in Mendenhall, Miss., has a deadline as a request of his coach Victor Evans. That list will like include some high-major schools at the end of the day.

Cooks is a springy and versatile player that certainly has the raw potential to catch on with a high-major school in the late signing period. The three-star prospect is working on his academic situation at the moment all the while averaging 20 points and seven rebounds for Genesis One (6-5).

"His recruitment is jumping off the charts," Evans said. "I told him to get three or four schools together soon because you can't go out there and visit 20 different places. So I told him to provide me a list of the top schools he wants to visit in numerical order. He should have that sometime next week."

With offers from Tennessee, Ole Miss, Auburn, Fresno State, Southern Miss and interest from Texas Tech, Duquesne, Bradley, Rhode Island, St. Louis and Colorado, Cooks has some thinking to do.

The 6-foot-8, 205-pound Thibodaux, La., native does have an idea on who might make that final list, his coach says.

"Tennessee, Fresno State, Ole Miss, Southern Miss and Auburn, I know he likes those guys a lot," Evans said. "He wants to be close to home but I know he likes Fresno State and they might be one of the places that he'd leave far away for. A lot of it is up to him right now."

Evans said once Cooks gets back from the holiday break and puts his list in concrete, visits will be set up only on the stipulation that his grades are where they need to be.

"He's got to get that done," Evans said.

If Cooks does, he will certainly have a nice place to call home next year.