Skip navigation
Favorites
Sign up to follow your favorites on all your devices.
Sign up

Peyton Siva’s got hops

Louisville Cardinals guard Peyton Siva (R) drives to the net on Kentucky Wildcats forward Anthony Davis in their men's NCAA Final Four semi-final college basketball game in New Orleans

Louisville Cardinals guard Peyton Siva (R) drives to the net on Kentucky Wildcats forward Anthony Davis in their men’s NCAA Final Four semi-final college basketball game in New Orleans, Louisiana, March 31, 2012. REUTERS/Lucy Nicholson (UNITED STATES - Tags: SPORT BASKETBALL)

REUTERS

Anyone that has watched Louisville play at some point over the course of the last three years will know that starting point guard Peyton Siva is really, really athletic.

He’s impossible to stay in front of because of how quick his first step is. He’s a nightmare to try and bring the ball up the floor against because he has the lateral foot speed of a startled house cat. It’s something that Rick Pitino has figured out. Siva plays the role of closer for the Cardinals, as Pitino makes an effort to run him off of high ball-screens as much as possible in late-game situations.

But here’s the thing about Siva: while he may qualify as a freakish athlete, he’s still all of about 5-foot-10 on a good day. (I’m sorry, but I’ve stood next to Siva, and I’m not buying that he’s 6-foot.)

Still, despite his height -- or lack-there-of -- Siva was still able to pull-off a 360 Eastbay at the Adidas Nations event in Southern California this weekend. Of course we have video:

If Siva’s throwing down dunks like that while teaming up in a back court with Russ Smith -- aka RUSS. FREAKIN’. SMITH. -- I think I may have a new favorite back court.

Rob Dauster is the editor of the college basketball website Ballin’ is a Habit. You can find him on twitter @robdauster.