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Santa Clara, CA - Sophomore Kenneth Ortiz's (Newark, NJ / Science Park / Southern Mississippi) last-second buzzer beater from the left corner lifted Wagner to a thrilling 64-62 victory over Santa Clara in the Championship Game of the 45th annual Cable Car Classic at Leavey Gymnasium. Ortiz's high-arching shot from almost behind the backboard set off a voracious celebration while capping a brilliant 12-rebound, eight-point, four-assist performance. For his game-winning shot and overall play on the weekend, the fiery point guard was recognized as the event's Most Inspirational Player.

Sophomore Latif Rivers (Elizabeth, NJ / Avon Old Farms (CT)) was named Tournament MVP after averaging 19.0 points per game on 54.2 percent (13-24) shooting, including connection on a blistering 50.0 percent (8-16) from long range. Joining Rivers on the All-Tournament team was junior Jonathon Williams (Richmond, CA / Kennedy / CC of San Francisco), who averaged 11.0 points and 6.5 rebounds per game while playing in front of his friends and family, and sophomore Naofall Folahan (Cotonou, Republic of Benin / Wilbraham and Monson Academy (MA)), who averaged 6.5 rebounds, 5.0 points and 2.5 blocks per game while helping set the tone on defense.

With the win, the Green & White improve to 10-3 while recording double-figures in victories before the end of the calender year for the first time in school history. Additionally, Wagner won its first in-season tournament title since the 1997 Pepsi Marist Classic, capping a school-record 9-2 mark in non-conference play. Lost in the shuffle of the Seahawks' dramatic victory was the fact that senior Tyler Murray (Toronto, Ontario / Eastern Commerce) became the 38th member of the Green & White 1,000-point club with his first-half three pointer. He finished with 10 points and now has 1,009 career points.

Down one at the half, the Wagner ripped off nine-straight points to start the second half. Williams put the Seahawks in front for the first time in the game with an old-fashioned three-point play to open up second. Rivers then sank a pair from the line before Ortiz put back his own miss. Murray capped the spurt with a fastbreak layup off a nice pass from Ortiz, giving the Green & White a 35-28 lead with just under 15 minutes to play in the game. After Evan Roquemere briefly quelled the run with a free throw, Williams converted another layup to extend the lead out to 37-29 with 14:13 to play.

As would be the case for the entire knight, the Broncos would fight back, getting to within four at 37-33 at the 13:16-mark of the second. Wagner answered immediately with a Josh Thompson (Jr., Richland, NJ / St. Augustine Prep) jumper and a Chris Martin (Sicklerville, NJ / Apex Academies) three pointer while kickstarting a 13-4 run that put the lead in double-digits at 50-37 with 8:46 to play. The lead would grow to a game-high 15 at 57-42 with 5:34 to play, following a pair of Murray free throws as the Seahawks looked to be in complete command.

After being outscored 31-14 over the first 15-plus minutes of the second half, Santa Clara scored nine-straight points to get within six at 57-51 with 2:35 to go. Thompson briefly quelled the spurt with a layup and the Green & White again looked to be in complete control.

The Broncos, however,  would continue to fight and with the lead sliced to four, Evan Roquemore converted a four-point play on a long three pointer from the top of the key to tie the game up following the free throw at 62-62 with 44 seconds remaining. On the ensuing possession, the Seahawks corralled three offensive rebounds before calling time with just over three seconds to play. Murray missed his first attempt before the ball found Ortiz, whose incredible gave Wagner a thrilling 64-62 win for its first win in a tournament of any kind since winning the 2003 Northeast Conference (NEC) Championship.

To say the Seahawks won the game on the glass would be an understatement as the Green & White parlayed a 20-11 advantage on the offensive end into a 21-8 advantage in second-chance points. Wagner shot just 35.8 percent (24-67) from the floor and was led by Rivers, who scored 11 of his team-best 17 points after halftime. Despite standing just over six feet tall, Ortiz dominated the glass, recording a career-best seven of his career-high 12 rebounds on the offensive end. Joining Rivers in double-figures was Williams (13 points, 5 rebounds) and Murray (10 points).

Pacing Santa Clara, which fell to 8-5 on the year with its first home loss, was Kevin Foster, who led all scorers with 20 points, and Roquemore, who added 17 and six rebounds.

In the first half, the Broncos sprinted out of the gates with six-straight points en route to opening up an 11-4 lead with just over 16 minutes to play as Foster sank three quick three pointers.

With Santa Clara up 24-20 with 5:23 to play in the opening half, Martin and Rivers each hit from beyond the arc, sparking a 6-2 spurt that tied the game at 26-26 before the Broncos sank a pair from the line in taking a 28-26 halftime lead.

Wagner returns to action on Thursday, January 5 at Fairleigh Dickinson with tip time slated for 7:00 pm.