The season came together nicely for Diamond Ranch senior basketball standout Roman Silva.

The 7-foot-1 center took full advantage of his first full season of high school basketball, helping the Panthers to a CIF Southern Section Division 3A title and winning Player of the Year honors in the process.

It has all led to a verbal commitment to the University of Texas-El Paso.

Silva has not visited the school yet but plans to do so in the next month. But he got a good feel from the coaching staff which has made three visits to Southern California, the first of those by head coach Tim Floyd just to watch Silva practice.

“They seemed very genuine and they really wanted me,” Silva said. “I really felt like I could trust them and that was big for me.”

This truly was a breakout season for Silva. He played on the freshman team at Etiwanda his first year but played little on the varsity the next year.

He transferred to Diamond Ranch for his junior year but had the mandatory sit out period and finally got to play in January.

This year he averaged 18.6 points, 10.8 rebounds and 2.8 blocks, notching 21 double-doubles on the season. His playoff numbers were even better. He averaged 21.6 points, 15.1 rebounds and 3.3 blocks in the postseason.

He was also selected to the Daily Bulletin’s All-Inland Valley team.

Silva also had an offer from Division I Campbell (N.C.).

While Silva hasn’t visited UTEP, he has gotten a good first-hand account of the school and what it has to offer from CJ Cooper, the son of Panthers coach Eric Cooper, who played there.

“I definitely talked to him a lot,” Silva said. “It really helps having someone you know that went there because they’re going to be straight with you. I am excited about the opportunity.”

Silva plans to enroll for a summer session which starts in July. He hasn’t decided opn a major but is considering engineering.

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Diamond Ranch boys basketball coach Eric Cooper was hoping a nice playoff would garner some attention for his 7-foot-1 big man Roman Silva. Silva played little before transferring from Etiwanda for his junior year and had to sit out the first part of the season when he arrived at Diamond Ranch last season.

So he was heading into his senior year with little or no fanfare despite his size.

Mission accomplished.

The Panthers won the CIF Southern Section title in Division 3A and made it to the Division IV quarterfinal in the state portion for the playoffs. And yes interest in Silva is growing.

“I’m getting more and more calls every day,” Cooper said. “We knew the playoffs were going to be important. The colleges can’t go out and seen everyone so that’s why I tell my guys you have to shine in the playoffs because that’s when they’re watching.”

Silva picked up his first off last week, that one from Division I Campbell University (NC) which plays in the Big South Conference.

Cooper said Loyola Marymount is among the handful of schools expected to stop by today. UC Irvine and Cal State Fullerton are also in the mix.

Cooper says he stresses his players’ relative inexperience and says its important for schools to consider how far he has come in a year rather than where they see him now.

“He’s getting better every day,” Cooper said. “When you look at where he started there is a big different. And he really wants to work hard and get better.”

Silva, who averaged a double-double this season, has the grades so that is not an issue. But Cooper definitely thinks a red-shirt year might be in order so Silva can continue to develop.

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