Interview: Peyton Siva

Rick Pitino has worked very quickly with the Class of 2009 receiving commitments from Mike Marra, Rakeem Buckles, and most recently Peyton Siva. From Seattle’s Franklin High School, Peyton Siva is currently ranked as the #6 Point Guard for the 2009 class. Siva was nice enough to answer a few questions for me about his choice of U of L, and what we can expect from him when he arrives on campus.

Throwin L’s: You were reportedly considering Arizona, Kentucky, Gonzaga, Kansas, among many other elite programs. What about Louisville gave them the edge over the other schools?

Peyton Siva: I took a visit out to Louisville and I loved it … I had a great time out there and felt it was the perfect fit for me.

Throwin L’s: What influence was Terrence Williams (T-Will) on your decision?

Siva: Terrence was a big influence on my decision. He helped me out on seeing the campus and telling me how much he loves it and how he feels like its his 2nd home.

TL’s: Your Scout.com profile says that your Decision Making and Mid-Range game are two areas that need improvement. Would you agree with that?

If yes, how you plan on improving those areas?

Siva:  I agree with it, I can always improve on all aspects of my game and those two seem to stick out the most so I’ll try to get those areas up to the best of my ability.

TL’s: What would you like to accomplish at the University of Louisville?

Siva: I would like to accomplish getting the team to the Final 4 and just try to get my degree…and finish out school.

TL’s: What can we, the fans, expect from you whenever you step on the floor in Freedom Hall?

Siva: You guys can expect a lot of energy and excitement. I love to play hard and I get into the game a lot kinda of like T-Will. I hate to lose and I love to get pumped on the court.

TL’s: Are there any players on the current Louisville roster that you are looking forward to playing with?

Siva: I look forward to playing with Edgar Sosa and E5 if they stay. They seem like real cool dudes when I met them.

TL’s: Before you committed, Coach Pitino received commitments from Mike Marra and Rakeem Buckles. Have you ever meet or played with either of them? What do you know, if anything, about them or their game?

Siva: I never meet with Mike Marra or played against either one of them but Rakeem Buckles and i just talked recently and meet for the 1st time. He was a really laid back dude.

TL’s: Here in Louisville we are huge on players nicknames (for some strange reason). Ever since you commited I have heard quite a few floating around. Do you have any nicknames? What would you prefer?

Siva: My nicknames that I’m called here are PS3 (not for the gaming system but because 3 is my jersey and also I’m a Christian so it stands for Trinity the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost..) and my nickname forever has been Pey-Pey (pronounced pay…pay)

Earl Clark coming back!

http://msn.foxsports.com/cbk/story/8042880/Clark-changes-mind,-will-stay-at-Louisville

I have had terrible computer problems since the Final Four (still am), but there is no better news that I could’ve shared than this.

This news absoultely makes my life. I am not kidding when I say that this is in the top 3 days of my entire life. Welcome back Earl, and thank you. I could not be more excited about next years team.

From everything I am hearing DC would like to join Earl on next yaers team but Pitino no longer wants to babysit him. The ball is in Pitino’s court on Derrick’s future.

I Tip my Hat

I know that one day I will hear “One Shining Moment” as the Cards cut down the nets, but we can no longer hope that day will be 2008 . A fantastic season for the Cardinals, and I honestly couldn’t be more proud of their effort against the best team in the nation, and their effort all season long. Thank you David, Tello, and Farley for 4 great years that included a Final 4, and an Elite 8.

Sometimes you just have to tip your hat to the better team, this is one of those times. Good Luck to the Tar Heels the rest of the way. I for one figured Psycho T to be overrated, but I can honestly say that he is the best player in the nation, hands down. Maybe the Cardinal 9 will give us something to get excited about before football season gets here.

Ugh . . . football season, doesn’t that make you want to put a gun in your mouth.

Derrick Caracter to go “Pro” after this Season

According to Jeff Goodman at Fox Sports and the mouth of Derrick Caracter he will not be returning to Louisville for his junior season.

“I’m definitely not coming back,” Caracter said.

“The last three years have been difficult,” Caracter said on Wednesday. “Not playing my senior year in high school to the weight issues my freshman year. But I’ve got to stay positive, that things are going to get better.”

As you might guess, I am devastated couldn’t care less. Without Pitino riding him, one guesses that DC will weight 300lbs by August.

Best of luck to Derrick in the future.

Cards advance to Sweet 16

What an amazing weekend. Our Cards haven’t looked this good . . . maybe all season.

 

I would have laughed if someone would have told me that we would beat Oklahoma by 30 points. I watched this team about a month ago play Texas A&M and I was very impressed. The Sooners were visibly confused by Louisville’s defense however, and everyone of our players seemed to learn/remember (Jerry) how to shoot all at the same time. I pray that this continues this week. 

Congrats to Boise State and Oklahoma on great seasons. Both teams have alot to look forward to. Here is a highlight video of the OK game.

So on to Tennessee. The Vols are a program that I have a great deal of respect for. My respect is not echoed by many of my fellow fans, but I’m not going to bash the Vols at all this week. I like UT football, I like Bruce Pearl, and I’ve loved Chris Lofton since he was a senior in high school. Should the Vols win it will be the first time in school history that they reach the Elite 8 and I don’t want to be the answer to that possible future trivia question. 

I said about 30 “thank you god” prayers earlier today when I got an email from the university about this new arrival.

http://store.cstv.com/marketplace/store_contents.cfm?store_id=45&product_id=122811&partner_id=14725

Whoevers idea these shirts were, I salute you.

Go buy the Believes in We/March is a Brotherhood shirt, and lets enjoy this week. Thursday and hopefully Saturday is going to be crazy fun.  

Cards draw a 3 seed!

I am more than happy with a three seed. The EAST bracket is a beast with North Carolina, Indiana, Tennessee, Notre Dame, Butler, etc but I feel we got a pretty good draw. It isn’t going to be easy, but we are tough enough.  

Big East Tournament Round 2: Wrap Up

12 EST

1 Georgetown vs 8 Villanova

 Final Score: Geo-82, Nova-63

It must be nice to be a Hoya fan right now.

2 EST

4 Connecticut vs 5 West Virginia

Final Score: WVU-78, UConn-72  

This was the surprise of the day to me. Joe Alexander is absolutely ridiculous. Just crazy. He is quickly becoming one of my favorite players in the conference.

 7 EST

2 Louisville vs 7 Pittsburgh

 Final Score: Pitt-76, Lou-69

What can really be said. I’ve had a feeling in my gut all week that we would lose to Pitt. We really should have lost to them the first time. Any team you have to shot 58% to win by two against, you don’t want to play them again. Especially if that team has knocked you out of the BET two straight years.

I really don’t know how I feel about this team right now. Something has got to change in the next 7-8 days(I’m John Madden now).

Maybe this week, our boys can practice instead of having snowball fights.

9 EST

3 Notre Dame vs 6 Marquette

Final Score: Marquette-89, Notre Dame-79

 There is now NO-Hair-on-Gody! Jerb’s influence blows my mind. He actually caused the Big East Player of the Year to get a haircut.

Even though Louisville is out, this is still basketball at it’s finest.

Jerb’s End of the Regular Season Video

Here’s to the next video being “One Shining Moment”

Poll Monday

Louisville

The Cards fall one spot in the AP poll to #13 after losing to Georgetown. Louisville is also #13 in the USA Today/ ESPN poll.

Around the Big East

Georgetown moves up to #9 in both polls.

Notre Dame is #14 in both polls. 

UConn is #15 in both polls.

Marquette is #25 in the AP, and #24 in the USA Today/ ESPN poll

Resume Watch

Purdue is ranked #16 by the coaches, #17 by the AP.

BYU is ranked #23 by the coaches, #24 by the AP. 

Around the Nation

North Carolina remains at #1 after their meaningless overhyped win against Duke.

Duke falls to #7 after their meaningless overhyped loss to North Carolina.

Padgett, T-Will Earn All Big East Honors

2007-08 All-BIG EAST First Team
Deonta Vaughn, Cincinnati, So., 6-1, 195, Indianapolis, Ind.
Jeff Adrien, Connecticut, Jr., 6-7, 243, Brookline, Mass.
*A.J. Price, Connecticut, Jr., 6-2, 187, Amityville, N.Y.
*Roy Hibbert, Georgetown, Sr., 7-2, 278, Adelphi, Md.
*David Padgett, Louisville, Sr., 6-11, 245, Reno, Nev.
*Luke Harangody, Notre Dame, So., 6-8, 251, Schererville, Ind.
Kyle McAlarney, Notre Dame, Jr., 6-0, 196, Staten Island, N.Y.
Sam Young, Pittsburgh, Jr., 6-6, 215, Clinton, Md.
Brian Laing, Seton Hall, Sr., 6-5, 215, Bronx, N.Y.
Kentrell Gransberry, USF, Sr., 6-9, 270, Baton Rouge, La.
Joe Alexander, West Virginia, Jr., 6-8, 230, Mt. Airy, Md.
 

2007-08 All-BIG EAST Second Team
Hasheem Thabeet, Connecticut, So., 7-3, 263, Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania
Jonathan Wallace, Georgetown, Sr., 6-1, 188, Harvest, Ala.
Draelon Burns, DePaul, Sr., 6-4, 220, Milwaukee, Wisc.
Terrence Williams, Louisville, Jr., 6-6, 210, Seattle, Wash.
Lazar Hayward, Marquette, So., 6-6, 225, Buffalo, N.Y.
Dominic James, Marquette, Jr., 5-11, 185, Richmond, Ind.
Jerel McNeal, Marquette, Jr., 6-3, 200, Chicago, Ill.
Donte’ Greene, Syracuse, Fr., 6-9, 217, Baltimore, Md.
Paul Harris, Syracuse, So., 6-5, 228, Niagara Falls. N.Y.
Scottie Reynolds, Villanova, So., 6-2, 190, Herndon, Va.
 

2007-08 All-BIG EAST Honorable Mention
DeJuan Blair, Pittsburgh, Fr., 6-7, 250, Pittsburgh, Pa.
Geoff McDermott, Providence, Jr., 6-8, 235, New Rochelle, N.Y.
Anthony Mason, Jr., St. John’s, Jr., 6-7, 209, Memphis, Tenn.
Dominique Jones, USF, Fr., 6-4, 205, Lake Wales, Fla.
Jonny Flynn, Syracuse, Fr., 6-0, 186, Niagara Falls, N.Y.
 

BIG EAST All-Rookie Team
Mac Koshwal, DePaul, Fr., 6-10, 250, Chicago, Ill.
Dar Tucker, DePaul, Fr., 6-4, 210, Saginaw, Mich.
Austin Freeman, Georgetown, Fr., 6-4, 225, Hyattsville, Md.
*DeJuan Blair, Pittsburgh, Fr., 6-7, 250, Pittsburgh, Pa.
Corey Chandler, Rutgers, Fr., 6-2, 180, Newark, N.J.
Justin Burrell, St. John’s, Fr., 6-8, 230, Bronx, N.Y.
Jeremy Hazell, Seton Hall, Fr., 6-5, 185, Bronx, N.Y.
*Dominique Jones, USF, Fr., 6-4, 205, Lake Wales, Fla.
*Jonny Flynn, Syracuse, Fr., 6-0, 186, Niagara Falls, N.Y.
*Donte’ Greene, Syracuse, Fr., 6-9, 217, Baltimore, Md.
Corey Fisher, Villanova, Fr., 6-1, 185, Bronx, N.Y.

*denotes unanimous selection

This is T-Will second straight year with Second Team honors. Padgett was second team last year, but was one of four unanimous selections for First Team Big East honors this season.

Congrats to T-Will and David Padgett.