LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) – Here they were, together again. The 2013 NCAA championship backcourt. University of Louisville legends. Stretching and getting up shots in a gym at Norton Commons in suburban Louisville.
Peyton Siva and Russ Smith will headline The Ville’s team in The Basketball Tournament, with a regional to be played in Freedom Hall next month. It’ll be the first time they’ve played together since the 2013 season.
Wayne Blackshear was there, along with former Bellarmine standout Chris Dowe and former Cardinal Dillon Avare. Others who have signed on include Chinanu Onuaku, Nick Mayo of EKU and Chane Behanan.
Smith said he was playing in Italy when he got the call, and the more he thought about it, the more he warmed to the idea.
“I got a call probably think it was early just earlier this year, but I was playing in Italy, I didn't know much of it,” Smith said of the TBT. “I don't always know my schedule in the summer, but this is the first time I'm healthy. Normally I'm playing in China. So I told the guys we’ll wait and see. And then maybe a few days or so after I finished the regular season. I kind of had an idea when I was going to get home and saw a couple other guys signed. So, I thought it'd be really cool to team up with a couple of other guys that were going to play. And then they were playing it at Freedom Hall, so that made it even better. I've never played that Freedom Hall. And I was like, ‘Yeah, let's try and do this thing.’”
Unlike Smith, Siva did play his freshman season at Freedom Hall, and remembers the excitement of the team’s final victory there.
“That was probably one of the loudest games I've ever been a part of,” Siva said. “We’re playing Syracuse and they’re ranked No. 1. We weren't playing really that well that year, by our standards. And we knew that win would really solidify us and get us to a tournament. And when I tell you, the fans came out and supported us, you know, they got it. We finally got a chance to experience a court-storming. We stormed the court. I remember them lifting up Edgar Sosa, remember Kyle, Kuric going crazy. I remember going to the bus after the game where all the fans were just cheering us on the way to the bus. It was just one of those memories that's going to last a lifetime. And, you know, I'm truly appreciative of it. And really, that was kind of the epitome for me of what Louisville is, and how the fans could rally behind their team.”
Now, playing with these teammates all these years later is going to present some new challenges for both Smith and Siva.
“The good thing is I've watched a lot of these guys play throughout the years,” Siva said. “I know to pass to Russ on the wing and get out of his way, because he's going to go one-on-one. I know Dylan's a shooter. Wayne, give him the post. He's a little bigger. Now Chane, also, you know, and then the rest of the guys just figuring out OK, what spots as a guard can I put them in? I know my job. I know my role. I'm not picking up full court for everybody for the nostalgia. I might pick up once or twice. But my job is to set everybody up, knock down some shots and try to get a win.”
Mr. Russdiculous himself said one key will be getting serious about playing.
“We're going to have to separate having fun and actually trying to win the game, because we're gonna be so excited to hooping with each other,” Smith said. “But then we're also far removed from the last time we played with each other so all our games are different now. And we're just having to figure some stuff out but we got some good additions. Our team is really good so we just got to try and get up and win the first two, then win the next two and then the last two are going to be pretty difficult.”
The tournament will begin at Freedom Hall with a game on July 25 at 7 p.m. It will run through July 31. Tickets will be available via TicketMaster.
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