Cothron favoring one out of three

Four-star power forward Luke Cothron of Red Springs (N.C.) Flora Macdonald Academy is down to three schools, with one school from the ACC having a slight edge.

Cothron, 6-foot-8, 210-pounds and originally from Alabama, came away impressed after a recent unofficial visit to North Carolina State.

"I went up there for an unofficial visit and really liked the head coach Sidney Lowe," said Cothron. "He is the type of coach that is going to let me play and be an impact player.

"NC State is number one right now, but Alabama and Tennessee are right behind them."

Cothron, who has yet to take either the ACT or the SAT, has also unofficially visited Alabama this fall and is expected to unofficially visit Tennessee in the near future.

He plans to take the one of the tests in November and is likely a late signee although he did not rule out the possibility of signing early.

There has been talk that Cothron will have to reclassify to 2011 in order to qualify, but he feels confident that he can qualify as a 2010 prospect.

"I have a 3.2 GPA right now, and I'm going to get enough core credits," he said. "I just need to get my test score. I'm planning on qualifying."

All three schools conducted in-home visits and have impressed an important player in Cothron's recruitment.

"My mom likes all three schools," he said. "They all did a good job during the in-home visits. When it comes time to make a decision, I'm going to sit down with my Mom and listen to what she has to say."

Cothron is the No. 33 ranked prospect in the Rivals150.

Luke Cothron scouting report:

From the haircut to his physical frame to his skill package, Cothron strongly resembles former Louisville star Pervis Ellison. A long, fluid athlete, Cothron can both beat his man down the court as well as chase down rebounds. And when he gets the ball in his hands, he knows what to do with it. Cothron is a skilled low post scorer with a variety of moves and has a dangerous face up game as well. Gaining strength and becoming more explosive in traffic will be important in Cothron's development as a college player.