Fairfield coach Maurice Ford called timeout with 5:07 left in Wednesday’s Class 5A state semifinal and his team trailing reigning champ Valley by seven.

“We talked about getting the ball inside,” Ford said. “I told them, ‘Whatever we do, we aren’t taking any more jump shots.’”

Apparently, that’s what the Fairfield players needed to hear.

The top-ranked Tigers proceeded to go on an 12-0 run and went on to dethrone the Rams 56-50 in front of a boisterous crowd at the BJCC’s Legacy Arena.

“No disrespect, but the thing we knew is they hadn’t played anyone like us,” Ford said of Valley. “We are battle tested, and we fought back.”

Fairfield (28-2) will play for its second state title at 10:45 a.m. Saturday against either Guntersville or Vigor. Valley finished 23-2. The Rams won 56 of their 58 games in the last two years.

“It’s been a great run,” Valley coach Marshon Harper said. “The guys came in worked hard, played hard. Fairfield did a great job tonight.”

Valley led 48-41 on Cam Dooley’s putback with 5:08 left in the game. Dooley, a Kentucky football signee, had 15 points, 16 rebounds and 5 blocked shots in his final game. He was the focus of the Tigers’ defense in the final five minutes.

“The key to stopping them was stopping 5 (Dooley),” Ford said. “We thought if we could keep him from hurting us down the stretch that would be the difference.”

Dooley didn’t score again.

Jamaria Hamilton started Fairfield’s game-defining run with a basket and, after a Milton Jones free throw, Josiah Jones turned the momentum for good. The senior stole the Valley inbounds pass and scored to cut the lead to 48-46 with 4:09 left. He tied it moments later with a driving layup.

“That was the turning point,” Ford said of the layup.

“I knew the team needed me, and I wasn’t playing very hard,” Jones said. “I couldn’t let my guys down.”

Hamilton gave his team the lead for good at 50-48 with a basket with 3:01 left.

“The wheels fell off,” Harper said. “We did some things we don’t normally do. We turned the ball over. The pressure got to us. Sometimes when adversity hits, it just snowballs down.”

Fairfield scored 17 of the final 19 points in the game.

“We got one more game to go,” Ford said.

Star of the game: Fairfield sophomore Milton Jones battled Dooley and Brandon Thomas down low. He finished with 14 points, 12 rebounds and 2 blocks.

Stat sheet: Fairfield – Josiah Jones led the way with 18 points. Hamilton and Demarcus Williams each had 10. Valley – Brandon Thomas had 10 points and 8 rebounds for Valley.

By the numbers: Fairfield was 21-of-54 from the field (38.9 percent), 3-of-10 from the 3-point line and just 11-of-22 from the free throw line. Valley was 17-of-56 from the field (30.4 percent), 5-of-22 from the 3-point line and 11-of-13 from the foul line. Valley had an 8-0 advantage in bench points and won the rebounding battle, 41-36.

Did you know? Fairfield dedicated the season to longtime Birmingham area coach Reginald McGary, who died in November.

“As ya’ll know my best friend died last year,” Ford said. “The team wanted to play for coach McGary. This year has been rough on us.”

Coachspeak:

“When you play against the teams we play against – the Parkers, the Ramsays – we were ready for this game.” – Ford.

They said it:

“We did a lot of preparing for this game, watched a lot of film. I was ready. I told my cousin that I’m not going home.” – Fairfield’s Milton Jones.

“When their parents brought them to me in the fourth grade, I promised them they would be college ballplayers. That is why I coach. I pour into these young men.” – Harper.

“That’s 25 years for me. I don’t know. I’ve got to think about it.” – Harper on his future plans.

“It’s been a good run. I’ve been with coach since fourth grade. He’s been raising me for the longest. I’m sorry I couldn’t get you another one, coach.” – Brandon Thomas.

Next up: Fairfield will play for the state title at 10:45 a.m. Saturday. The Tigers last won the title in 2020.