AURORA | Seedings and pairings for the 2026 Class 5A girls state basketball tournament as released by the Colorado High School Activities Association on Feb. 22. Higher seeds are home teams in each round and will host until the Great 8 when tournament shifts to Denver Coliseum. Aurora team bold and uppercased:
Courtney Oakes is Aurora Sentinel Sports Editor. Reach him at sports@sentinelcolorado.com. Twitter/X: @aurorasports. IG: Sentinel Prep Sports
2026 CLASS 5A GIRLS STATE BASKETBALL PLAYOFFS
QUADRANT 1
First round (Feb. 25)
Byes: No. 1 Lutheran (20-3), No. 8 Palmer Ridge (18-5), No. 9 Pueblo East (20-1), No. 16 Falcon (17-6), No. 17 Pueblo County (15-8), No. 24 Severance (10-13)
Game 2: No. 33 Cheyenne Mountain (11-12) at No. 32 Eagle Valley (13-10), 6 p.m.
Game 6: No. 40 Rampart (9-14) at No. 25 Lewis-Palmer (11-12), 6 p.m.
Second round (Feb. 28)
Game 33: Winner Game 2 at No. 1 Lutheran (20-3), 2 p.m.
Game 34: No. 17 Pueblo County (15-8) at No. 16 Falcon (17-6), 5:30 p.m.
Game 35: Winner Game 6 at No. 8 Palmer Ridge (18-5), 1 p.m.
Game 36: No. 24 Severance (10-13) vs. No. 9 Pueblo East (20-1), 1 p.m.
Sweet 16 (March 4 at higher seed)
Game 49: Winner Game 33 vs. Winner Game 34
Game 50: Winner Game 35 vs. Winner Game 36
QUADRANT 2
First round (Feb. 25)
Byes: No. 4 Windsor (18-5), No. 5 Standley Lake (19-4), No. 12 Frederick (14-9), No. 13 Golden (19-4), No. 20 Durango (11-11), No. 21 Widefield (16-7)
Game 10: No. 36 Greeley Central (8-15) at No. 29 Ponderosa (9-14), 7 p.m.
Game 14: No. 37 Sierra (11-12) at No. 28 Glenwood Springs (12-11), 5:30 p.m.
Second round (Feb. 28)
Game 37: Winner Game 10 at No. 4 Windsor (18-5), 4 p.m.
Game 38: No. 20 Durango (11-11) at No. 13 Golden (19-4), 1 p.m.
Game 39: Winner Game 14 at No. 5 Standley Lake (19-4), 1 p.m.
Game 40: No. 21 Widefield (16-7) at No. 12 Frederick (14-9), 4 p.m.
Sweet 16 (March 4 at higher seed)
Game 51: Winner Game 37 vs. Winner Game 38
Game 52: Winner Game 39 vs. Winner Game 40
QUADRANT 3
First round (Feb. 25)
Byes: No. 2 Green Mountain (22-1), No. 7 Mead (17-6), No. 10 Roosevelt (16-7), No. 15 Northridge (15-8), No. 18 Mullen (7-16), No. 23 Evergreen (11-12)
Game 18: No. 34 Littleton (11-12) at No. 31 Grand Junction (10-13), 5:30 p.m.
Game 22: No. 39 Thomas Jefferson (11-12) at No. 26 Northglenn (15-8), 6:30 p.m.
Second round (Feb. 28)
Game 41: Winner Game 18 at No. 2 Green Mountain (22-1), 6 p.m.
Game 42: No. 18 Mullen (7-16) at No. 15 Northridge (15-8), 5:30 p.m.
Game 43: Winner Game 22 at No. 7 Mead (17-6), 5 p.m.
Game 44: No. 23 Evergreen (11-12) at No. 10 Roosevelt (16-7), 1 p.m.
Sweet 16 (March 4 at higher seed)
Game 53: Winner Game 41 vs. Winner Game 42
Game 54: Winner Game 43 vs. Winner Game 44
QUADRANT 4
First round (Feb. 25)
Byes: No. 3 Montrose (23-0), No. 6 Air Academy (19-4), No. 11 Thompson Valley (18-5), No. 14 George Washington (17-6), No. 19 Palisade (13-10), NO. 22 AURORA CENTRAL (16-6)
Game 26: No. 35 Summit (10-13) at No. 30 Longmont (10-13), 6 p.m.
Game 30: No. 38 Battle Mountain (9-10) at No. 27 Canon City (14-9)
Second round (Feb. 28)
Game 45: Winner Game 26 at No. 3 Montrose (23-0), 1 p.m.
Game 46: No. 19 Palisade (13-10) at No. 14 George Washington (17-6), 1 p.m.
Game 47: Winner Game 30 at No. 6 Air Academy (19-4), 1 p.m.
Game 48: NO. 22 AURORA CENTRAL (16-6) at No. 11 Thompson Valley (18-5), 1 p.m.
Sweet 16 (March 4 at higher seed)
Game 55: Winner Game 45 vs. Winner Game 46
Game 56: Winner Game 47 vs. Winner Game 48
GREAT 8 (March 6-7 at Denver Coliseum)
Game 57: Game 49 winner vs. Game 50 winner
Game 58: Game 51 winner vs. Game 52 winner
Game 59: Game 53 winner vs. Game 54 winner
Game 60: Game 55 winner vs. Game 56 winner
FINAL FOUR (March 12-13 at Denver Coliseum)
Game 61: Game 57 winner vs. Game 58 winner
Game 62: Game 59 winner vs. Game 60 winner
CHAMPIONSHIP (March 14 at Denver Coliseum)
Game 63: Game 29 winner vs. Game 30 winner