FARMINGTON − District basketball tournament action wrapped up Saturday night, and the fields for the New Mexico Activities Association's state championships are set. The NMAA announced brackets for the state tournament Sunday evening during a live internet broadcast.

First round games for the girls state championships will begin on Friday, with the boys tournament to get underway on Saturday. The higher seeded-teams will play host for all first round games.

The tournament will move to neutral site locations beginning the following week with the quarterfinals through the finals. Games will be played in at The Pit in Albuquerque, as well as Bernalillo High School and the Rio Rancho Events Center.

Here's a look at San Juan County teams which will be taking part in the state tournament.

Girls basketball

Class 3A

The Navajo Prep Lady Eagles earned the second-seed in the Class 3A state tournament, one of four teams from District 1-3A to make it into the field of 16 competing for the state title.

"It doesn't mean anything unless we bring home the trophy," said Lady Eagles head coach Rainy Crisp. "Being in the dance is nice, but we have to be prepared for everyone's best game going forward."

Navajo Prep will open the tournament at home on Friday night against Dexter. This will be the third time these schools have faced one another with the Lady Eagles winning both times, most recently in 2013.

The winner of that game will face either St. Michael's or Zuni, one of the other teams representing District 1-4A.

Class 4A

The Kirtland Central Lady Broncos are set to defend their 2022 Class 4A state title as the top seeded team in the state tournament, one of three teams representing District 1-4A, along with second-seeded Gallup and eighth-seeded Bloomfield.

The Lady Broncos will open the tournament Friday night at home against 16th-seeded Deming. The winner of that game will face the winner of Bloomfield's opening round matchup against ninth-seeded Highland.

If there is a to be a fifth meeting this season between Kirtland Central and Gallup, it would occur in the Class 4A title game. The Lady Bengals will open the tournament at home against 15th-seeded Albuquerque Academy. Kirtland Central and Gallup have split the first four games of their rivalry this season

Class 5A

Farmington High School enters the tournament as the two-seed, playing at the Scorpion Arena on Friday night against District 2-5A rival and 15th seeded West Mesa. The Lady Scorpions blew out West Mesa in each of their two clashes during the district campaign, most recently an 86-60 blowout on Feb. 7.

The Lady Scorpions have won nine in a row over the Lady Mustangs dating back to 2020.

"I really don't like having to play district opponents in the tournament but I have no complaints. We just need to play no matter we go against and have doing it," said Farmington head coach Tom Adair. "One of the things I love about this team is they play with such joy."

Farmington is one of five teams from the district to reach the state tournament, along with fifth-seeded La Cueva, as well as eighth-seeded Sandia and 14th-seeded Eldorado, led by New Mexico's leading scorer Bella Hines, averaging nearly 31 points per game this season.

Boys basketball

Class 3A

Entering the Class 3A state tournament as the two-seed, Navajo Prep will open the tournament at home against Cobre on Saturday. The Eagles have won 14 games in a row and trounced Cobre in the only other meeting between the two schools, which took place earlier this season.

Navajo Prep is one of four schools in District 1-3A to reach the state tournament, along with district runner-up Crownpoint, which entered the tournament as the five-seed, as well as eighth-seeded Tohatchi and 13th seeded Newcomb.

Class 4A

Kirtland Central was invited to the Class 4A state tournament despite getting knocked out of the District 1-4A tournament in the semifinals to Bloomfield. The Broncos, with a record of 18-9 (8-2 District) enter the tournament as the 11-seed and will be on the road to face Hope Christian on Saturday. This will be the first meeting on the basketball court between the two schools since 2015, when the Huskies beat Kirtland Central by a score of 77-58.

"We're excited to play on Saturday regardless of who or where it was," said Kirtland Central head coach Brian Dowdy. "We all worked very hard this season to get back to where we believe we belong."

Kirtland Central is one of two schools from District 1-4A to reach the state tournament, with district winner Gallup entering the dance as the eight-seed and hosting Del Norte.

Fans are reminded that tickets can be purchased online for the state tournament through the NMAA's page at gofan.co.

For complete schedules, brackets and more information on the NMAA state basketball tournament, visit NMACT.org

This article originally appeared on Farmington Daily Times: High school basketball state tournament will get underway Friday night