Porter practices; Harris sidelined

Michael Porter practiced on Friday, while Ramon Harris remained home recovering from their nasty head-to-head collision earlier in the week, Kentucky Coach Billy Gillispie said at a news conference Friday night.

When asked about the players’ availability against No. 22 Miami on Saturday, Gillispie said with a proud smile, “Porter says he’s going to play.”

Gillispie coyly declined to say if Porter would start against the Hurricanes. Nor did the UK coach say who would start for Harris on the wing or what alternative options the Cats were considering.

While in practice, Porter wore a headband. The headband pulled the skin up off his swollen left eye.

Porter may wear the headband against Miami, although he joked, “I think I’m going to go out with a helmet.”

Porter said he felt “pretty good” while practicing. Gillispie said he did OK.

Porter did not recall the collision with Harris. The two banged heads as teammate Perry Stevenson retrieved a loose ball-rebound against Lamar on Wednesday night.

Harris stayed on the floor for about eight minutes before being loaded on a stretcher and taken to UK Chandler Hospital. His step father said on Thursday that Harris was up walking and joking at the hospital.

But Gillispie seemed almost offended by a question about when Harris could return to practice or games. Such a question was “not proper” when the focus should be on Harris’s recovery, the UK coach said.

Porter downplayed his injury. While denying that he’d sustained a mild concussion, as his father suggested on Thursday, the UK player said he’d taken harder hits.

Here’s a statement UK released about 8 p.m. EST:

University of Kentucky men’s basketball player Michael Porter returned to practice on Friday after being injured in Wednesday night’s game against Lamar. Teammate Ramon Harris has not returned to practice after being released from UK Chandler Hospital on Thursday afternoon.

Porter was cleared to practice on Friday but continues to have swelling above his left eye from the collision.  He could be available to participate in Saturday’s game vs. Miami.

Harris has not been cleared to practice and is wearing a protective cervical collar.  According to the UK medical staff, once Harris’ symptoms of muscular pain in his neck and back resolve he will be reevaluated by team physicians and can remove his protective collar. After further testing, a timetable for a return to basketball activity can be determined. The UK medical staff is confident that Harris will return this season.

Harris and teammate Michael Porter collided during Wednesday night’s game against Lamar after chasing after a loose ball. Porter received 10 stitches to a laceration over his left eye, while Harris suffered a blow to the back of his head. He was taken to UK Chandler Hospital where he remained under observation over night until being released Thursday.