No sibling rivalry with 'Cats' Kris Jenkins, Heels' Nate Britt Jr.

SATURDAY NIGHT Kris Jenkins got to celebrate an Elite Eight win over Kansas with his Villanova teammates in Louisville, Ky. And 24 hours later, he was in South Philly, celebrating North Carolina's Elite Eight victory over Notre Dame with his brother, Nate Britt Jr.

A decade ago, Jenkins' mother sent her son from South Carolina - where he had some academic issues as a child - to live in suburban Washington under the guardianship of Britt's parents, with whom she'd developed a relationship after their children played against each other in AAU basketball.

Now both are headed to the Final Four, where they could go against each other in the title game.

"I mean, it's pretty awesome," Jenkins said. "It was definitely a special moment for me to be there and watch him punch his ticket (to Houston).

"He'd congratulated me (the night before), letting me know how proud he was. I got to return the favor."

Britt, a 6-1 guard, averages 5.7 points in 15.7 minutes off the bench for the Tar Heels. The 6-6 Jenkins has emerged as a force in the second half of the season, and is now the team's second-leading scorer at 13.5 per.

They were teammates at Gonzaga College High School.

"We dealt with the recuiting process . . . separately," Jenkins said. "But we were always there during each other's (decision-making). We never really talked about going to the same college. We talked about how crazy it would be if we were to play each other. For it to get this far is something. Words couldn't do it justice."

And if it does come down to a Villanova-UNC final, what would that be like?

"Amazing," Jenkins said. "Something our families could cherish forever."

So if he can't get a ring, would Britt getting one be the next-best scenario?

"No comment," he said, smiling. "I'm not going there."

Let those final games begin.

@mikekerndn