Louisville’s season didn’t take a turn towards the Final Four until their point guard, Peyton Siva, improved his level of play.
The Seattle native helped lead the Cardinals to a Big East tournament title (earning MVP honors) and their first Final Four since 2005, averaging 12.8 points and 6.8 assists per game over Louisville’s final eight games.
Siva’s turnover numbers (3.6 per game; season average of 3.4 turnovers/game) were similar but his assist-to-turnover ratio (1.9) over the final eight games of the season was better than his season average (1.6).
So what is the rising senior focusing on this summer? According to the Louisville Courier-Journal, Siva’s got two goals: getting his sprained ankle back to full health and improving his jumper.
Siva injured the ankle back in November and it was something he had to deal with throughout the season.
Yet while the injury limited Siva’s effectiveness (during one stretch he reached double figures just once in ten games) he continued to play. A full off-season of recuperation should do wonders in that regard.
Just as important is the work on his perimeter shot following a season in which he put up career worsts in both field goal (40.2%) and three-point percentage (24.6%).
An off-season to improve from a health standpoint while also getting repetitions with his improved form should pay off for Siva.
And by extension Louisville as a team should benefit. For a team that will have all the tools needed to be a national title contender in 2012-13, improvement at the point could be the difference between merely arriving in Atlanta and leaving with the title.
Raphielle is also the assistant editor at CollegeHoops.net and can be followed on Twitter at @raphiellej.