UF’s Chris Chiozza earns All-SEC honors

GAINESVILLE UF point guard Chris Chiozza surprised even himself, ending his senior season on the coaches’ All-SEC first team.

But Chiozza’s selection to the all-defensive team was a long time coming for the Gators’ leader.

“It’s a great accomplishment — something I didn’t think I would do,” Chiozza said of Tuesday’s first-team selection. “My last three years, my goal was to be on the defensive team. I told coach that at the beginning of the year.

“That’s a great feeling to have, to know that I set that goal and got it.”

The 6-foot, 175-pound Chiozza’s consistency, intensity and flair on both ends of the court earned him a spot on the coaches’ eight-player first-team unit. Chiozza did not make the Associated Press’ fiveman first team, but landed on the second team.

Chiozza enters this week’s SEC Tournament, averaging 11 points, 4.5 rebounds, 6.1 assists and 1.9 steals.

No other Gators were named to the first or second team by either the coaches or AP.

“I’m a little surprised,” Chiozza said. “We definitely got some guys on here that deserve to get some awards at the end of the year.”

Guards Jalen Hudson and Egor Koulechov each presented strong cases. Hudson leads the team with a scoring average of 15.6 points while Koulechov averages 13.8 points and a team-high 6.5 rebounds at just 6-foot-5, 205 pounds.

Chiozza is joined on the coaches’ team by Arkansas’ Jaylen Barford, Georgia’s Yante Maten, Kentucky’s Kevin Knox, Missouri’s Kassius Robertson, South Carolina’s Chris Silva, Texas A&M’s Tyler Davis and Tennessee’s Grant Williams, who is the SEC Player of the Year.

Tennessee coach Rick Barnes was named Coach of the Year.

Silva, Alabama’s Donta Hall, Auburn’s Anfernee McLemore and Texas A&M’s Robert Williams joined Chiozza on the alldefensive team.

“I knew how good of a defender I was, and I showed it a little bit last year,” Chiozza said. “And it was just something I wanted to do. I know that me playing defense would be a big boost to our team especially since we didn’t always play defense this year.

“I think it’s important for somebody to be able to set that example every day — and that’s just what I try to do.”