The road to Denver Coliseum begins soon.

Colorado High School Activities Association on Sunday released 6A-5A brackets for boys and girls’ basketball teams and more than 20 area schools will participate in the upcoming state tournament, which begins Tuesday.

The tournament will conclude March 14 at the Coliseum with the championship game. Great 8 and Final Four games also take place at Denver Coliseum.

For girls, Air Academy earned the highest seed among 12 of the Pikes Peak region’s 6A-5A teams and are 5A’s six seed. The Kadets finished the regular season 19-4 and closed the year with wins in five of their final six games. Kinley Asp is seventh in Colorado at 25.2 points per game and averages 6.9 rebounds, 3.4 assists and 4.7 steals.  

The Kadets ended 2025 as runners-up and look to capture their first basketball championship since 2012.

On the boys’ side, Cheyenne Mountain earned the highest seed of the 14 area 6A-5A qualifiers and grabbed the fifth seed after a 19-4 regular season. The Red-Tailed Hawks won 11 of their final 12 contests and have one of the state’s top scorers in junior Alex Treglia, who averages 20.7 per night.

The Red-Tailed Hawks aim to win their first title in school history after their best regular season since 2019-20 when Cheyenne Mountain went 21-2.

Playoff schedule

6A boys

First round

No. 34 Heritage at No. 31 Fountain-Fort Carson, 7 p.m. Tuesday

No. 39 Legacy at No. 26 Doherty, TBD Tuesday

Second round

No. 21 Liberty at No. 12 Eaglecrest, 7 p.m. Friday

6A girls

First round

No. 39 Doherty at No. 26 Poudre, 7 p.m. Wednesday

No. 38 Vista Ridge at No. 27 Monarch, TBD Wednesday

Second round

No. 21 Horizon at No. 12 Pine Creek, 4 p.m. Saturday

5A boys

No. 36 Coronado at No. 29 Thomas Jefferson, 6 p.m. Tuesday

No. 34 Glenwood Springs at No. 31 Discovery Canyon, 5:30 p.m. Tuesday

No. 38 Montbello at No. 27 Palmer, TBD Tuesday

No. 37 Thompson Valley at No. 28 Palmer Ridge, 6 p.m. Tuesday

Second round

No. 25 Evergreen/No. 40 Mountain View at No. 8 Lewis-Palmer, TBD Friday

No. 24 Air Academy at No. 9 Pueblo South, 7 p.m. Friday

No. 20 Harrison at No. 13 Silver Creek, 7 p.m. Friday

No. 37 Thompson Valley/No. 28 Palmer Ridge at No. 5 Cheyenne Mountain, TBD Friday

No. 21 Falcon at No. 12 Mesa Ridge, TBD Friday

No. 39 Dakota Ridge/No. 26 Pueblo East at No. 7 Rampart, TBD Friday

5A girls

First round

No. 33 Cheyenne Mountain at No. 32 Eagle Valley, TBD Wednesday

No. 40 Rampart at No. 25 Lewis-Palmer, 6 p.m. Wednesday

No. 37 Sierra at No. 28 Glenwood Springs, 5:30 p.m. Wednesday

No. 38 Battle Mountain at No. 27 Cañon City, TBD Wednesday

Second round

No. 17 Pueblo County at No. 16 Falcon, TBD Saturday

No. 40 Rampart/No. 25 Lewis-Palmer at No. 8 Palmer Ridge, TBD Saturday

No. 21 Widefield at No. 12 Frederick, 4 p.m. Saturday

No. 38 Battle Mountain/No. 27 Cañon City at No. 6 Air Academy, TBD Saturday