South Carolina forward Chris Silva makes first-team All-SEC

With the football team’s bye week comes a nice reminder that basketball season is just around the corner. The South Carolina Gamecocks are off to a good start already, with senior forward Chris Silva netting first-team All-SEC honors from the league media.

Silva, who was the SEC’s co-Defensive Player of the Year last season, is the Gamecocks’ top returning scorer and rebounder with 14.3 points and eight rebounds per game. The big man led South Carolina in points, rebounds, and blocks (1.4) per game last season, and ranked second nationally with 283 free throw attempts.

Silva also received votes for preseason Player of the Year. His first-team placement is the first such honor for a Gamecock since Devan Downey.

Despite Silva’s accolade, the media doesn’t think too highly of South Carolina as a whole. The Gamecocks were tabbed to finish 11th out of 14 in the conference, with Kentucky (of course) being selected as the champion.