From spectator to league winner: Alvin Longinus' basketball journey

After an exhilarating season of the Nakuru Universities Colleges and Basketball (Nakuball) league, Rift Valley National Polytechnic (RVNP) emerged as the victors; this was after a well-fought battle against the Kabarak Royals.

When all was said and done, one name stood supreme in the RVNP squad, and this was Alvin Longinus. The 25-year-old player emerged as the Most Valuable Player (MVP) after becoming the top scorer of their final game and carrying his team to victory.

We met up with Alvin, just to learn what inspired him to lead his team into their first-ever Nakuball trophy.

Alvin explains that his love for basketball began back when he was a child in Eldoret.

“I remember whenever we left school, I would go to one of the basketball courts near our estate and watch older children and adults play, and there and then was where I fell in love with the game,” he says.

After that, he says that he went to Friends School, Kamusinga, and that is where he honed his skills in the game.

“After finishing high school, I started playing in the local leagues in Eldoret; this is the Eldoret Basketball League. I think playing in high school and also in the local league helped me get exposed to a lot with regards to the game and also improved my style of play,” he says.

“I am currently pursuing a course in Mechanical engineering, and apart from this, the polytechnic also gave me a chance to explore my passion in basketball, and as soon as I enrolled, I found myself playing for the team,” he notes.

He says that the thing he loves most about the team is their fighting spirit and never-giving-up attitude.

“Going into this Nakuball season, I found it to be very competitive, and I really enjoyed participating in it. Plus, the Nakuball league offers a very good platform for us players who would want to hone our skills,” he notes.

He says that getting to the finals was no easy task as most of the teams really brought their A game; however, he says their team chemistry is what pushed them to the final.

“My highlight game of the season was a game we were playing against Laikipia University, and in that game, we were tied in points up to the final seconds of the third quarter. I managed to score a buzzer beater, and this changed the dynamic of the whole game, and we managed to win the game in the end,” he says.

“I was very surprised when I was awarded as the most valuable player of the season. I wasn’t expecting it. Even though I was singled out as the MVP, I tend to believe it took a team effort to get me here,” he says.

Alvin says that outside basketball he loves listening to music and just giving back to society.