Michael Kidd-Gilchrist and Derrick Gordon know each other, to say the least.

They played together at St. Patrick’s High School in New Jersey. Their season season, when the team went undefeated until the state tournament, was the subject of an HBO documentary.

Now, they will be on the same court, opposite each other, when UK and Western Kentucky play each other in a Round of 64 game.

“We are best friends in life, period,” Kidd-Gilchrist said. “I really can’t wait to play my best friend. We always talked about it, all of last year.”

They’re not backing away from the challenge of playing each other.

Kidd-Gilchrist told his teammates he wanted to guard Gordon, who is WKU’s leading scorer (11.8 ppg) and rebounder (6.8 rpg).

“He knows that guy,” Anthony Davis said. “He wants to stick him.”

Gordon won’t likely be matched up on Kidd-Gilchrist; he said his assignment will probably be on Doron Lamb.

Still, the excitement of playing each other is evident. The ex-teammates have been tweeting at each other non-stop over the last couple days. Of course, that won’t override the whole reason they’re meeting: to win and advance in the NCAA Tournament.

“We talk a whole bunch going back and forth,” Gordon said. “But when the ball goes into the air, it’s time to go to work.”

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