Ortiz Talks About Winning NEC POW Award
Ortiz did it all for Wagner last week, leading the Seahawks to a pair of victories that pushed the Green & White over the .500 mark with a 3-2 record. He averaged 13.5 points, 5.0 rebounds, 6.5 assists, 2.0 steals and shot 53.8 percent from the field. Ortiz contributed 12 points and dished for a season-best 10 assists for his fourth career double-double as Wagner rolled up 102 points in a 15-point road win over Coppin State last Monday. He also added five rebounds and a pair of steals as the Seahawks scored the program’s most points in a game since putting up 105 against UMES on December 15, 2007. Ortiz followed with a team-high 15 points and added five rebounds, three assists and two steals in a 68-61 over America East preseason favorite Vermont at the Spiro Center on Thursday. Up one with under three minutes to play, his offensive rebound off a missed three throw led to two more shots from the line for the Seahawks. He also hit a pair of free throws with 1:34 to play to keep Wagner’s lead at three, then came up with a steal with 17 seconds to play to ice matters. Ortiz, a two-time NEC Defensive Player of the Year, has registered double figures in all five games this season and is averaging 13.8 ppg (12th in NEC), 4.5 apg (fifth) and 1.8 spg (third).