Pair of Gamecocks earn All-SEC second-team, freshman honors
Two Gamecocks picked up All-SEC nods on Tuesday as the league’s all-conference honors were announced.
South Carolina big man Maik Kotsar made the All-SEC second team, while freshman guard Jermaine Couisnard earned a spot on the all-freshman team.
Kotsar blossomed as a senior, averaging 11.2 points, 6.3 rebounds, 2.3 assist, 1.5 steals and 1.1 blocks. He was a versatile anchor of the most efficient defense in SEC play, both taking the toughest post assignments and getting out on the perimeter in Frank Martin’s demanding schemes.
Couisnard stepped in as the team’s top point guard. He’s second on the team in scoring with 12.1 points per game, along with 3.2 assists and 2.8 rebounds per game.
This year breaks a four-season run of the Gamecocks having a first-team All-SEC player. That was one appearance for Michael Carrera, one for Sindarius Thornwell and two for Chris Silva.
South Carolina faces the winner of Vanderbilt-Arkansas around 9:30 Thursday night at the SEC Tournament in Nashville.
Full team:
First Team All-SEC
Kira Lewis Jr., Alabama
Mason Jones, Arkansas
Samir Doughty, Auburn
Keyontae Johnson, Florida
Immanuel Quickley, Kentucky
Nick Richards, Kentucky
Skylar Mays, LSU
Breein Tyree, Ole Miss
Reggie Perry, Mississippi State
Second Team All-SEC
John Petty Jr., Alabama
Isaac Okoro, Auburn
Kerry Blackshear Jr., Florida
Anthony Edwards, Georgia
Tyrese Maxey, Kentucky
Maik Kotsar, South Carolina
John Fulkerson, Tennessee
Saben Lee, Vanderbilt
All-Freshman Team
Jaden Shackelford, Alabama
Isaac Okoro, Auburn
Scottie Lewis, Florida
Anthony Edwards, Georgia
Tyrese Maxey, Kentucky
Trendon Watford, LSU
Jermaine Couisnard, South Carolina
Scotty Pippen Jr., Vanderbilt
All-Defensive Team
Herbert Jones, Alabama
Isaac Okoro, Auburn
Ashton Hagans, Kentucky
Nick Richards, Kentucky
Yves Pons, Tennessee
Coach of the Year: John Calipari, Kentucky
Player of the Year: Immanuel Quickley, Kentucky
Scholar-Athlete of the Year: Skylar Mays, LSU
Freshman of the Year: Anthony Edwards, Georgia
Sixth-Man of the Year: Tyson Carter, Mississippi State
Defensive Player of the Year: Yves Pons, Tennessee
