A new king will be crowned, while a former queen is expected to regain her throne when the Class AA State High School Basketball Championships resume Tuesday and Wednesday at Santa Ana Star Center in Rio Rancho.

Tularosa ended Texico's two-year reign 75-60 Saturday night in Texico in the first round of the 16-team boys tournament.

It wasn't the first time the Wildcats snipped a string this season. Tularosa ended Mesilla Valley's 22-game win streak, handing the Son Blazers their lone loss of the season, 61-55.

Mesilla Valley, though, remains the team to beat. The Son Blazers (27-1) earned the top seed Sunday by the selection committee. Hagerman garnered the second seed. Tularosa was third and Bosque School was fourth.

Coronado followed in fifth. Mesa Vista was sixth. Navajo Pine and Mora were seventh and eighth, respectively.

Mesilla Valley owns four wins
over Tularosa (21-6) and two over Bosque School (24-4). Hagerman
(24-4) also defeated Tularosa and Bosque School during the regular season. Hagerman has won 11 in a row and 19 of its last 20.

Mesa Vista visited Tularosa in mid-December, falling 76-57. The rematch is set for Wednesday morning at 11:30.

Another rematch takes place between Coronado and Bosque School. The Bobcats defeated the Leopards 64-36 in Gallina in mid-December. They renew acquaintances at 8 Wednesday morning.

Mora and Mesilla Valley take the court Wednesday at 3 p.m. It is the first meeting of the season between them.

The Texico girls, meanwhile, are looking to capture their third crown in the past four seasons.

The Lady Wolverines won bookend state titles beginning in 2007 under then-head coach Keith Durham, who took a year off last season. Durham returned and has Texico seeded atop the final eight.

Santa Rosa is seeded second, with Navajo Pine third and Peñasco fourth. The bottom four seeds in order are Hagerman, Navajo Prep, Estancia and Pecos. Navajo Prep is the defending state champion.

"If we play well, we have a chance to win it. If we play bad, we've got a chance to get beat," Durham says. "And when I say win it, I'm talking about our next game. We won't be looking past Pecos."

The Lady Wolverines (23-5) have not lost since the penultimate day of December 2009. Their win streak is 16, including a 36-33 victory over Portales, the top seed in Class AAA. Texico has three wins over Santa Rosa.

Peñasco and Hagerman open the quarterfinals at 8 Tuesday morning. Texico and Pecos cap the round at 6:30 p.m.

"It doesn't matter what you're seeded," Durham says. "You still have to win three games."

Two coronations will take place — the girls Friday, the boys Saturday. Both could have new rulers.