Chris Silva ‘blew a gasket’ before leading South Carolina to win over Vandy
Before Chris Silva scored 27 points and grabbed eight rebounds to guide South Carolina to its most important win of the season, he did something far more valuable for the Gamecocks.
USC was holding its final pre-Vanderbilt practice Friday when “one of our point guards,” as Frank Martin put it, messed up.
“Didn’t run what they were asked to run,” said the Carolina coach.
Martin could have gone off – blown his whistle, chewed out the unnamed player, caused his own scene – but he didn’t have to. His 6-foot-9, 223-pound junior forward took the opportunity for himself.
“Ole Chris blew a gasket,” Martin said, “and I just sat there and smiled.”
The Gamecocks are 10-5 (1-2 SEC) after their 71-60 victory over the Commodores (6-9, 1-2) on Saturday. It was a unique performance that included contributions from the likes of Evan Hinson and Jason Cudd, a breakout of sorts for Wes Myers and complete domination from Silva.
Vandy’s Bryce Drew, like all opposing coaches on USC’s schedule, came to Colonial Life Arena with Silva high on his radar. The preseason All-SEC selection is a dangerous combination of strength and athleticism. Bouts with foul trouble aside, Silva’s proved he’s Carolina’s best player, the key connection to last year’s Final Four team.
But Drew on Saturday got an element recently added to the Silva package.
“From the time warmups start,” Drew said, “you hear his voice. He’s out there talking, getting guys fired up.”
Martin, after a three-month search, might have his leader.
Silva not only dunked Saturday, he inspired. When Myers was asked for what led to his 17-point second half outburst, he noted the guy to his left. Myers was sharing the post-game podium with Silva.
“Chris and Coach Frank, the whole game they challenged me,” said the senior transfer from Maine. “That’s what really motivated me. They always kept my spirit up, just pushing me to go attack, play hard and be aggressive.”
After Wednesday’s ugly loss to Missouri that dropped the Gamecocks 0-2 in the SEC for the first time in three years, Martin wanted to inject life back into his inexperienced team. His Thursday and Friday practices were designed in such a way.
“I told my staff we’re too young,” Martin said. “The guys that have been here, they’re not comfortable in how to lead.
“We don’t have our whole team right now. We can’t come in here and run them into the ground because we lost. These guys are searching for someone to help them right now.
“What I’ve learned in my life, when people teach me when I got doubt, that means that that person believes in me and is trying to help me. So I tend to gravitate to that person – rather than someone that comes in and kicks me because we lost a game.
“That’s what we tried to do the last two days. We tried to teach, so we would get these kids to understand that we’re in this together. ‘We’re trying to help you, but your spirit has to get better.’”
That’s why Silva’s outburst was pleasing to the sixth-year coach.
“It’s the first time all year that we have that kind of ownership that we have to have amongst ourselves, being the players,” Martin said.
Silva leads the Gamecocks in points per game (14.6), rebounds (8.1), blocks (1.3) and field goal percentage (52.2).
Only one SEC player – Mizzou’s Jordan Barnett with 28 in a loss to Florida – scored more than Silva on Saturday.
But the points were only part of his evening.
“(Martin) reminded me to talk to the freshmen and all the guys that it’s a long season and to stick together,” Silva said. “Keep your mind right, keep working hard and get better. Stay positive.
“That’s what we did. We came to practice, we stayed positive. We tried to work hard. That’s what we tried to do.”
South Carolina next travels to Alabama (9-6, 1-2) on Tuesday.
This story was originally published January 7, 2018 at 1:20 PM with the headline "Chris Silva ‘blew a gasket’ before leading South Carolina to win over Vandy."