Plainview vs Fairfield in the Class 4A semifinals at BJCC Legacy Arena (PHOTO | Harrison Huber)
BIRMINGHAM – Plainview High School head coach Cade Willingham played in the AHSAA Basketball State Championships just seven years ago.
After watching his Bears (30-6) beat Fairfield 51-42 in the AHSAA 105th State Basketball Championships Class 4A semifinals at the BJCC Legacy Arena, he now has a chance to coach a team in the “final game.”
The Bears led the battle with Fairfield (30-5), coached by veteran coach Maurice Ford, for 30:47 of the 32-minute game. Still, they had claw to hold onto the lead in the final minutes as the Tigers turned up the pressure on the Plainview squad.
Sawyer Wilborn sealed the win for the boys from Rainsville, however, making 11-of-12 free throws on the night. The Bears were 16-of-18 as a team, but Wilborn made the shots down the stretch. He finished with 15 points and four assists to lead Plainview. Grant Nickleson added 14 points on a 6-of-10 shooting performance including two treys.
Fairfield, back in the Final Four after winning the Class 5A state last season and dropping to Class 4A in the new classification, was led by Milton Jones. He had 15 points, five rebounds and was 9-of-10 at the foul line. Jeffery Duncan added 11 points.
Plainview now moves into the Class 4A finals to face Jackson, which won its semifinal game Tuesday 37-34. Willingham has the difficult task of coaching the Bears against the defending Class 4A state champion Aggies (22-4) – presenting his team with the challenge of beating two teams in the 4A Final Four that were crowned state champs in 2024.
The 105th AHSAA State Basketball Championships continue Wednesday with semifinals in Classes 6A and 5A. The 7A semifinals are Thursday, and championship games begin with Class 1A girls’ and boys’ on Thursday afternoon. Championship games in Classes 2A, 3A and 4A are scheduled for Friday, Feb. 28, and the state tourney concludes on Saturday, March 1 with title games in Classes 5A, 6A and 7A.
All championship games and the Class 7A boys’ and girls’ semifinal games will be live streamed over the NFHS Network and televised live over the Alabama Public Television network with WOTM TV producing the contests. The semifinal games will be live streamed over the NFHS Network as well.
The AHSAA Radio Network will also air live broadcasts of all semifinal and championship games over its radio and internet audio network. Tickets are available each day at the BJCC box office or through Ticketmaster.
2025 AHSAA STATE BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIPS
At the BJCC Legacy Arena, Birmingham
February 24-March 1, 2025
TUESDAY, FEB. 25 SCHEDULE/RESULTS
CLASS 3A GIRLS
Lauderdale County (33-1) 40, T.R. Miller (25-2) 40
Saint James (34-2) 63, Sylvania (18-15) 44
Class 3A Girls’ Championship
Lauderdale County (33-1) vs. Saint James (34-2), Friday, Feb. 28, 12:30 p.m.
CLASS 3A BOYS
Mars Hill Bible (24-8) 63, Houston Academy (19-5) 51
Montgomery Academy (33-2) 84, Glencoe (25-8) 48
Class 3A Boys’ Championship
Mars Hill Bible (24-8) vs. Montgomery Academy (33-2), Friday, Feb. 28, 2:15 p.m.
CLASS 4A GIRLS
Good Hope (28-5) 38, St. Michael Catholic (23-4) 30
Trinity Presbyterian (29-4) 67, Plainview (30-6) 43
Class 4A Girls’ Championship
Good Hope (28-5) vs. Trinity Presbyterian (29-4), Friday, Feb. 28, 4 p.m.
CLASS 4A BOYS
Jackson (22-4) 37, Brooks (26-10) 34
Plainview (29-6) 51, Fairfield (30-5) 42
Class 4A Boys’ Championship
Jackson (22-4) vs. Plainview (29-6), Friday, Feb. 28, 5:45 p.m.
