Fairfield basketball coach Maurice Ford had been at it for more than 25 years and there’s not much that can surprise him anymore. Or unnerve him.

The top-ranked Tigers led by double digits midway through the final period but had to stave off a fierce rally for a 62-56 victory over No. 6 Madison Academy in Friday’s Class 5A Northwest Regional boys semifinal at Wallace State’s Traditions Bank Arena.

“That’s probably the calmest I’ve been in my coaching career,” Ford said. “The press doesn’t bother us. When they jumped into the press, it’s layups, but then we started trying to get fancy.”

Fairfield (25-2) allowed the opening bucket of the game but powered ahead to an early 5-2 advantage on a three-pointer from Josiah Jones. Madison Academy tied the game on the next possession with its own three-pointer, provided by Kahleel Green, but the Tigers responded with a 7-0 run before taking a 14-10 lead into the second quarter.

The Mustangs were held to their lowest scoring output in the second period, going 2-of-7 from the field and knocking in a pair of free throws, and were outscored 10-6 with a Jones combo.

Milton Jones opened the quarter with two pairs of free throws, adding another made attempt midway through the period, and (Josiah) Jones added five points on a mid-range jumper and 3-pointer to power the Tigers to a 24-16 lead at the halftime break.

The Mustangs fell behind by 11 points early in the second half but were able to cut the lead to five points with 3:12 left in the third quarter. Fairfield closed out the period on a 10-5 run to push its advantage back to double digits entering the fourth quarter.

Madison Academy (25-7) found itself trailing by 12 points almost midway through the final period but a 3-pointer from Cam Bell ignited a 13-3 run that saw the Mustangs come within four points with a little more than a minute remaining in the game. (Josiah) Jones snapped the run with a layup that he converted into a three-point play and Fairfield surged ahead on a 6-0 run before Jaylen Blackwell knocked in a 3-pointer at the buzzer.

Did you know? Fairfield advances to its fifth regional final in program history, all coming in the last 10 seasons, and first since winning the state title in 2020.

By the numbers: Fairfield shot 56.4 percent overall, including a 3-of-6 showing from 3-point range, and was 15-of-20 at the charity stripe. The Tigers out-rebounded Madison Academy, 22-21, and held the Mustangs to 28.6 percent in the first half before finishing 51.1 percent for the game.

Stat sheet: Fairfield – (Josiah) Jones led the Tigers with a game-high 20 points on 8-of-12 shooting and (Milton) Jones finished with 18 points, four rebounds and two blocks. Jamaria Hamilton added nine points, five boards, two blocks and two steals, and DeMarcus Williams had eight points, three rebounds and two assists. Madison Academy – Green finished with a team-high 16 points, going 7-of-8 overall and 2-of-2 on 3-pointers, and Blackwell added 11 points and six rebounds. Bell had 10 points and four assists, followed by Michael Stanford with six points and six rebounds.

Coachspeak: “I knew they were taller than us but I knew they were not as athletic as us. When they started chasing, we should have been able to go right around them and get layups. We sat there holding the ball, waiting on the trap and turned the ball over a few times in a row. They’ve been in this predicament and we’re ready for the big stage. That’s why we didn’t unravel at the end.” — Fairfield’s Maurice Ford

“Can’t thank these guys enough for the season they’ve had. Our leaders, Cam Bell and Lawson Pippins, both seniors, have really helped us for Madison Academy back on the map state-wide. Really elevated our program and we continue to make strides forward.” — Madison Academy’s Tom Berryman

He said it: “We just had to slow the ball down more. We were trying to rush it and let the crowd get in our heads. Just got to play.” — Josiah Jones

What’s next? Fairfield advances to face No. 9 Ramsay in Wednesday’s Northwest Regional final at Wallace State’s Traditions Bank Arena.