The Cardinal faithful were right to be excited when Peyton Siva signed on to the Pitino Train.
He has the potential to be the prolific point guard the Cardinals have been seeking for years. Sure, Edgar Sosa showed flashes of greatness against Texas A&M in the NCAAs his freshman year. He hit “The Dagger” against UK. He never panned out and he was worse off because of his early success. Siva came into a system that he understood and got some mentoring from Sosa. Yet Siva frequently tried to show off or attempt something unnecessary.
Flash forward to this season. In a year when fans were more excited for the KFC Yum! Center than the team itself, Siva has begun to play the way we all wished he would. Not only has he played smarter, but he has stepped up in the clutch. The game-winning drive against West Virginia was magical, and his play against UConn in a hostile environment was John Wall-esque.
Maybe he’s just getting more comfortable. He has befriended teammate Gorgui Dieng and helped him get accustomed to living in Louisville. He isn’t an in-your-face personality like Terrence Williams. Yet, his cool composure helps him stay focused. Team insiders tell me he has begun to step up in practices. Siva is becoming exactly the guy Louisville needs: a great leader steps up when the game’s on the line.
His stats for this season aren’t remarkable, but a few more performances like that 19-point effort against UConn will help his numbers. He got the top play on Sportscenter after the West Virginia game, and stepped up in two crucial situations in huge games.
If you’re trying to explain how the Cards have surprised everyone by claiming sole possession of 2nd place in the competitive Big East, clearly Siva is the reason.
An Introduction:
I am really excited to start on this journey with Rick and the other contributors. I’m a U of L student with a big interest in the Cards, and other sports-related events in town, and hope to provide readers with a unique viewpoint on local sports. If there’s something you think I should be covering, send me an e-mail at gabe@louisville.am
