The New School Narwhals’ opening game of the basketball season drew uncanny resemblance to the biblical scene, The Last Supper.
Forks and knives were held aside, but the Narwhals competed with resilience and swagger defeating the Culinary Institute with a final score of 63 to 42 on Saturday at Pratt Institute in Brooklyn.
Captain Jesse Futterman ’18 with a broken left finger and flowing curly brown locks led the team with optimism and precision on the court, making the first three-point shot of the game in less than 1 minute. He also led the team in scoring with 22 points, along with 4 assists and 7 rebounds.
“Some people call me Jesus,” Futterman, a philosophy major at Lang, said referring to his appearance, not his basketball abilities.
If Futterman were less humble and more like the religious figure he resembles, he would have explained the way the team looks to him as a leader.
Miguel Paley, the Head Coach of the team, understood this potential when he made Futterman captain this season, though he also made a point to say that he’s proud of the team as a whole, referring to it as, “our cohesive unit.”
“This is our first real game and everyone was dependable,” he said. “Every single person played great today.”
If Futterman is Jesus, then Benjamin Irving, who recorded a double-double with 13 points and 11 rebounds, is whatever disciple would have been his right-hand man.
Referred to as “Mr. All American,” not even leg cramps due to dehydration could slow his speed or agility on the court this Saturday.
Irving is a returning player who played alongside his brother, Jack Irving ’18, nicknamed “Ladies Night,” due to his proud flirtations and blond hair.
“We go to practice together on his moped,” Irving said.
The two are hardly anything like the biblical brothers Cain and Abel, whose jealousy triumphs resulting in Cain’s killing of his brother.
Instead, the Irving brothers showed obvious affection, shooting hopes together after the game.
Number 13 is Derek Benedict ’19, a pretty boy from Indiana whose tick of smoothing back his hair could not stutter his focus on the court. He also notched a double-double with 14 points and 12 rebounds.
Richard Supriano ’18, who is out for the season due to an ACL tear explained that Benedict is likely “the most athletic on the team,” being that “he’s the only one that can dunk.”
At the table of the Last Supper also sits, Krish Chandiramani ’19.
Chandiramani is like Joseph, but instead of the Technicolor dream coat, he’s got Barbie-pink dunks, and is cited by his peers as the best dressed on the team.
“Everything he owns is made of hemp, and if it’s not tie-dye, send it home,” one player said about Chandiramani’s choice of attire.
Like The Last Supper, The New School Narwhals first game of the season ended with a promising climax and curiosity for the future of the season.
The team’s hopes?
To continue to have “hustle and heart.”
Oh, and they want “a cheerleading team.”
Photos: Don Eim