By Chelsea Allen–

“Oh yeah, definitely. I’ll be here,” Peyton Siva said without hesitation.

Though such simple words, this statement will also serve a mass exhale and source of relief for thousands of Louisville basketball fans, especially in context of the rumor-ridden April. During these few weeks between the end of the college basketball season and deadline to declare for the NBA draft, fans want to be assured the talent is returning for another great run.

“Not going anywhere,” Siva continued. “I’m planning on getting in the gym now and working on trying to get a National Championship next year.”

These are exciting words of blessed assurance from Big East Tournament MVP and acclaimed starting point guard, Peyton Siva. Finishing his junior season with a bang in the Cardinals’ eight-game postseason winning streak after dealing with a mid-season slump sparked by an ankle injury in December, Siva was back on the hot-list for eligible college players to declare early for the NBA draft this summer.

Anxiety among fan-bases is common through the month of April following the end of post-season play; April 29 marks the final deadline for early NCAA entries to declare themselves eligible for the draft. They then have until May 8 to withdraw from the draft.

Last season, junior forward Terence Jennings unexpectedly declared for the draft in April, after the Cards lost in the first round of the tournament to Morehead State. He chose not to withdraw by the May deadline. He was not drafted.

The idea that Siva may leave early after his successful season has been a much talked about subject among fans and media over the past week. Numerous Twitter “conversations” debated back and forth whether the point guard was ready for professional play; what would the Cards do without him in the upcoming season? It took a definite statement from the humble Cardinal himself to yield the queries once and for all.

“Everybody’s coming back,” Siva said, his facial expression almost amused at the thought of anyone else leaving the team, aside from graduating senior guards Chris Smith and Kyle Kuric.

Fans can look forward to next season in peace and with confidence. The Siva Savior is here to stay, and with a deep bench of now veterans and recovering injuries, the preseason Top 5 Cards have a title to play for.

“We look forward to making a National Championship run next year,” Siva said.

ESPN’s Andy Katz, who currently ranks the Cards as No. 2 in his 2012-2013 preseason rankings, also thinks highly of Siva’s talent.

“Peyton Siva should be Big East preseason player of the year.”

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