Umpqua Community College guard Brock Gilbert drives past Southwestern defender Myles Youngblood (4) during first half play Wednesday at UCC. (PHOTO: Michael Sullivan/News-Review)

WINCHESTER — The Northwest Athletic Conference announced its most recent basketball coaches polls on Wednesday and the Umpqua RiverHawks landed in the top three of both the men’s and women’s rankings. Then the RiverHawks went out and defended those rankings with home wins against Southwestern Oregon.

The Umpqua women remained at No. 1 in the rankings and received all eight first place votes, then cruised past SWOCC in a 103-51 victory on Wednesday.

UCC had five players in double-figures, led by Hunter Boske with a season-high 29 points off the bench. The sophomore was 10-for-13 from the floor and hit eight of the RiverHawks’ 11 3-pointers.

Umpqua Community College guard Hunter Boske sinks a three-point shot during second half play against Southwestern Wednesday at UCC. The Riverhawks won the game, 103-51. (PHOTO: Michael Sullivan/News-Review)

Darian Mitchell recorded a double-double (17pts/10reb) for Umpqua and Grace Campbell was two assists away from a triple-double (18pts/16reb/8ast).

The UCC women are now 21-0 on the year and 8-0 in league games. They continue to hold a two-game lead for first place in the South Region.

The Umpqua men moved up one spot to No. 3 in Wednesday’s coaches poll and then went out and put up their third consecutive 100-point game.

Cameron Benzel was one rebound shy of a double-double and led the RiverHawks to a 101-88 victory over the Lakers. Benzel finished with 21 points, 9 rebounds and 4 blocked shots. He was one of five UCC men to finish in double figures.

The Umpqua men have now won three-straight games and remain ahead of Clackamas for first in the South thanks to the head-to-head tiebreaker.

Along with the wins on the court, the Umpqua basketball teams also swept the NWAC player of the week awards announced this week.

Grace Campbell earned the women’s weekly award. She helped the UCC women win twice last week by averaging 21.0 points, 11.5 rebounds, 6.0 assists and 3.5 steals in victories against Chemeketa and Clackamas.

Brock Gilbert was selected for the men’s player of the week award. He helped lead the RiverHawks to two wins over ranked opponents last week. The sophomore averaged 18.5 points, 13.5 assists, 5.0 rebounds and 2.5 steals in two wins.

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