Class 6A basketball playo s to remain at Denver Coliseum

BY STEVE SMITH SPECIAL TO COLORADO COMMUNITY MEDIA

e Denver Coliseum will continue to host the Great 8 round of the state boys and girls basketball playo s in Class 6A.

e Colorado High School Activities Association’s legislative council overwhelmingly voted down an attempt to move those games to school sites or, in some cases, neutral locations.“I think it’s great that the Great 8 will still be at the Coliseum,” said Prairie View coach Damien Romero, whose team moved up to Class 6A. e addition of a sixth classi cation of basketball prompted CHSAA to begin play as early as 8:45 a.m. for quarter nal rounds for the top three classi cations of basketball. Given the early start, the Continental e 64-4 CHSAA council vote came on April 18.

League proposed to shift Class 6A games to school sites. It said such a move would allow games to be played on Friday nights and/ or Saturdays. Plus, proponents said, it would have meant less outlay for CHSAA to hire game workers and for rental fees for the Coliseum.

“With more teams and players in one location, the opportunity for more exposure and coverage is a great opportunity for those that are blessed to reach the Great 8,” Romero said.

Brighton High School’s girls basketball program also moved up to Class 6A this season. Coach Jim French like the idea of keeping games at the Coliseum.

“Some coaches expressed the challenges from starting games early in the morning in order to get the full day in and the disadvantages to those teams in doing so,” French said. “Between the available game sites in the metro and surrounding area, each classi cation could host or combine two but not three (4A - 6A) classi cations.”

He used the state football championship model as an example (those contests are moving to Fort Collins this fall.

French noted other states consider historic performance among factors when the time comes to place schools in classi cations.

“Our goal is to provide the most enjoyable high school experience we can,” French said. “But when none of the sports is competitive, it discourages those athletes