Athlete - Basketball
Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2015
A native of Yonkers, New York, Alvin Jessamy (’79) contributed greatly to three of the finest seasons in the history of men's basketball at Acadia.
Recruited to Acadia by Axemen head coach Dick Hunt in 1975, the 6'5” forward shot at a 50.6 percent clip in his first season with the Axemen. He averaged 22.46 points, tops in the conference, and 10.62 rebounds per game.
Selected as a wild card team for the CIAU nationals in Halifax, Acadia won the consolation championship with a 2-1 record. Despite foul trouble throughout the national tournament, Alvin had 14, 13, and 18 points plus his share of rebounds in his team's three games. After the season, he was named first-team all-conference and followed that up with a second-team all-Canadian selection.
Alvin played an important role in Acadia's third CIAU championship season in 1976-77. Highlights included 38 points and 19 field goals in a game against St. F.X., 11 free throws in a win over UPEI, and a conference-best 49 offensive rebounds on the season. He was selected to the first all-conference team for a second straight year.
In the playoffs, Alvin had a game-high 27 points in an overtime win over UPEI in the conference final as the Axemen won their first AUBC championship since 1974. Like most of his teammates, he elevated his play another notch in Halifax as the Axemen captured their first national title since 1971.
Alvin had 14 points and 13 rebounds in an 88-70 win over UPEI, 26 points in a 65-63 semi-final victory over Waterloo, and 23 points and 16 rebounds in a 72-63 win over Lakehead in the championship game. He was a deserving choice as a first-team all-Canadian for the 1976-1977 season.
In the fall of 1978, the arrival in Wolfville of outstanding offensive players Victor Soares and Mike Hazard and the continued development of Hants County native Ted Upshaw meant Alvin no longer had to be the focal point of the Axemen offense.
His 1977-78 stats reflected a greater concentration on rebounding and he emerged as a better all-around player. He finished the regular season with 174 total rebounds, including 72 at the offensive end. Both totals were career highs. He had 8.7 rebounds per game and a 12.3 point-per-game average.
A pair of playoff wins – over UPEI and St. F.X. – gave Acadia its second straight conference title and another trip to Halifax for the CIAU nationals. The venue was the brand-new Metro Centre, hosting its first major sporting event.
Alvin had 16 points in a 71-65 quarter-final win over Laurentian and added 12 in an 82-71 semi-final win over York that propelled the Axemen into an all-Atlantic final against Saint Mary's.
The more than 10,000 fans that packed the Metro Centre were treated to a classic that the Huskies won 99-91. In what would end up being his final game in an Acadia uniform, Alvin finished with 25 points.
He left Acadia after the 1977-78 season, passing up a fourth and fifth year of eligibility. Returning to Yonkers, he was a caseworker for the Westchester County Department of Social Service until 1985 when an injury forced him into early retirement.
Alvin passed away on March 24, 2015, at the age of 59. He is survived by his wife Angela, his children, and a host of family members and friends. As his obituary stated, "his passion was basketball, whether he was playing, watching, or coaching. He just loved the game."