With or without PJ Washington, UK believes it can checkmate Houston

Reid Travis’ brother, Jonah, was the captain of his high school’s chess team. His father, Nate, taught the brothers the game.

So it came as no surprise that Nate Travis likened the Kentucky basketball team to a chess set. Each player has his function.

Nate Travis saw Coach John Calipari as the king, Reid Travis a knight, Keldon Johnson a rook, Tyler Herro a bishop and the guards as pawns.

PJ Washington? The queen, the most dangerous and versatile piece on the board.

Kentucky has been without this piece since Washington sprained his left foot against Tennessee in the Southeastern Conference Tournament semifinals on March 16.

There was no definitive answer to the question dwarfing everything else at the Midwest Region on Thursday: Will Washington play for Kentucky against Houston in Friday night’s semifinals?

No longer wearing a cast nor protective boot, Washington said he was feeling much better. He hoped to have an answer about his return after Thursday’s practice, his first since the injury.

What would he have to do in a practice to know he could play?

“Running, cutting and stuff like that, and jump,” he said to a throng of reporters that formed a crescent three or four people deep in front of his locker. “That’s pretty much the biggest things you need to do.”

In the workout’s opening 15 minutes, the period the media could watch, Washington seemed to move freely without any sign of a hindrance. In a warm-up jog back and forth across the court, he moved at the same speed as his teammates. He the shot free throws. Then reporters were shooed away.

Contrary to social media speculation, Washington wants to play.

“Obviously, I want to play a lot,” he said. “I put my heart and soul into this program.”

Speculation has Washington as the key player in UK fulfilling its postseason hopes. Earlier in the week, ESPN analyst Jay Bilas said Kentucky was a Final Four-caliber team and national championship contender with Washington. The Cats were neither without Washington, Bilas said.

UK players bristled.

“That’s just their opinion,” Immanuel Quickley said of this speculation. “Everybody’s got one. But I think we’re confident with him or without him that we’re a team.”

Added Ashton Hagans: “We’ve been winning without him.. But we do need him.”

With Washington miserably watching from the bench, UK beat Abilene Christian and Wofford last week in the NCAA Tournament’s first two games. “I”ve been playing basketball since I was, like, 3 years old,” he said. “I hate watching basketball.”

Washington told reporters that his teammates work just as hard as he does.

“I feel we’re definitely a better team with me on the floor,” he said. “Without me on the floor, they played really well last week.”

When asked how Bilas’ make-or-break assessment played on his mind, Reid Travis said, “It doesn’t. I’d say the biggest thing on my mind right now is getting ready for the game tomorrow. Speculation is speculation as far as who can play and how far we will go. Those are all things we can’t control. The only thing we can control right now is our preparation for Houston.”

Houston Coach Kelvin Sampson downplayed the possibility of Washington not playing Friday night.

“All the film we’re watching is him with them,” Sampson said. “I haven’t watched them without him. That doesn’t factor in with us at all.”

Guard Galen Robinson Jr. said Houston was preparing as if Washington will play.

“We’re definitely anticipating that he’s playing,” he said. “We’re preparing like he’s a starting 4-man.”

Teammate Corey Davis Jr. added, “Honestly, we’re scouting them as a whole. If PJ plays, we know his tendencies. We know what he likes to do as an individual. So, I mean, it doesn’t really affect our game. We’re just focusing on the team as a whole and what we’re going to do.”

True to the spirit of the queen, Washington has been Kentucky’s most versatile player. He leads the team in scoring (14.8 ppg) and rebounding (7.5 rpg). He’s also shot the best percentage from three-point range (41.9 percent) and gotten to the free throw line the most (160 attempts).

If Kentucky must play without its most versatile piece, Reid Travis found solace in his father’s chess analogy. The queen is not the only piece that can bring about a checkmate.

“I think it’s kind of interesting that every piece has its own talents, its own abilities,” he said. “It’s like our team. Everyone can do certain things, and all are kind of important in their own right.”

Friday

No. 2 seed Kentucky vs. No. 3 seed Houston

What: NCAA Tournament Midwest Regional round-of-16 game

When: About 9:59 p.m.

Where: Sprint Center in Kansas City, Mo.

TV: TBS

Radio: WLAP-AM 630, WBUL-FM 98.1

Records: Kentucky 29-6, Houston 33-3

Series: Kentucky leads 3-1

Last meeting: Houston won 83-69 on Dec. 18, 2007, at Houston.

About Houston

Location: Houston, Texas

Enrollment: 37,215

Nickname: Cougars

School colors: Red, White and Silver

Head coach: Kelvin Sampson (116-51 in five seasons at Houston, and 541-278 in 26 seasons overall)

Conference: American Athletic

NCAA berth: At-large (Houston won the conference’s regular-season championship but was defeated by Cincinnati, 69-57, in the title game of the league tournament..)

How the Cougars got here: Houston won its first two NCAA Tournament games easily, defeating Georgia State 84-55 and Ohio State 74-59 at Tulsa, Okla.

Common opponents with Kentucky this season: Houston defeated LSU at home, 82-76, on Dec. 12.

Other notable games this season: Houston defeated NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 team Oregon at home on Dec. 1, 65-61. The Cougars also split regular-season games with UCF, the team that almost took down Duke last Sunday.