2:47 p.m. ET
Pete ThamelESPN
PHILADELPHIA. UCLA star forward Jaime Jacques Jr. remains day after day with a sprained right ankle and will attempt to play in the Bruins’ No. 4 Sweet 16 game against No. 8 North Carolina on Friday.
During an open workout available for media viewing on Thursday, Jacques appeared to be moving without any discomfort. He ran, retreated and shuffled during the warm-up, smoothly performing the exercises. UCLA coach Mick Cronin said Jacques only shot a little on Thursday.
“He’ll want to try playing,” Cronin said. “The question is, can it be effective?”
Jaques’ ankle seems to be perhaps the biggest storyline in a matchup between two of college basketball’s most iconic programs. Jacquez is UCLA’s second-leading scorer with 14.0 points per game and one of the Bruins’ most indispensable players, a model of courage and grit that defined Cronin’s tenure.
In UCLA’s last eight games, Jaques averaged 20.5 points while the Bruins were 7-1 up. Cronin said the stretch coincided with Jacques being able to train again, which led to him finding his rhythm and dominating the floor.
“Obviously Jaime is dealing with this,” Cronin said. “I’ll tell you, if anyone can handle this, it’s him. He is the epitome of physical and mental toughness.”
Jaques injured his ankle with 6:58 left in the second half of UCLA’s win over St. Mary’s in the second round. He froze him on the bench without running shoes and didn’t come back. Cronin considered his status to be everyday throughout the week.
“Of course it was unpleasant,” Jaques said. “It’s just what we have to go through and what I have to go through. Everyone has to go through something during the season and that’s what happened to me. We just fight it every day.”
Jaques had ankle problems all season, so many that Cronin joked he couldn’t count them. Earlier this week, Cronin said he didn’t know ankles could be so badly sprained.
Jaques also injured his right ankle against Stanford on January 29, coming out of the game after only playing seven minutes and making two shots. He missed the UCLA game against Oregon State on January 15 with a left ankle injury. In February, Jacques began wearing braces on both ankles.
“It was a journey,” Jaques said. “Long. It’s something that all players have to deal with when you get to this game, especially at this time of year, you’re not 100 percent.”