Chris Silva an All-SEC first-teamer in coaches’ preseason vote

South Carolina senior forward Chris Silva was named to the Southeastern Conference men’s basketball coaches preseason All-SEC team released Tuesday.

Silva is a first teamer, according to the league’s coaches.

Silva, who decided to return to the Gamecocks after testing the NBA waters, enters 2018-19 with a chance to finish among the school’s all-time top 10 in points, rebounds, blocks, free throw attempts, free throws made and games played. The SEC coaches voted Silva as the co-defensive player of the year and on the eight-player first-team in 2017-18 after he averaged 14.3 points, eight rebounds and 1.4 rebounds per game.

The Gamecocks open the 2018-19 season Tuesday night at home against USC Upstate.

First Team All-SEC

Daniel Gafford – Arkansas

Reid Travis – Kentucky

PJ Washington – Kentucky

Tremont Waters – LSU

Quinndary Weatherspoon – Mississippi State

Chris Silva – South Carolina

Admiral Schofield – Tennessee

Grant Williams – Tennessee

Second Team All-SEC

Donta Hall – Alabama

Herbert Jones – Alabama

Bryce Brown – Auburn

Jared Harper – Auburn

KeVaughn Allen – Florida

Jalen Hudson – Florida

Terence Davis – Ole Miss

Aric Holman – Mississippi State

TJ Starks – Texas A&M

Darius Garland – Vanderbilt