By Staff Reports

 BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Fyffe High School held on late to beat R.C. Hatch 41-39 in the final Class 2A girls’ state basketball tournament semifinal game at the BJCC Legacy Arena Monday night.

The victory at the 97th AHSAA State Basketball Championships sends the Red Devils (30-5) of Coach Steve King into the girls’ Class 2A state finals versus Cold Springs (27-6) Friday morning at 9 a.m. The Red Devils will be vying to claim the school’s ninth state girls’ championship overall and the first since 2000.

Fyffe led by nine, 28-19 with 4:44 left in the third period before the Lady Bobcats (22-7) of Coach Willie Morgan turned up the intensity on defense and began whittling away at the Red Devils lead. Hatch tied the game at 33-33 with 6:21 to play before Fyffe pulled ahead by five at 41-35 with 2:51 left. The Bobcats scored the last four points of the game and had two shots at tying the game in the final seven seconds but missed on both.

Alexia Barber had 13 points and 13 rebounds to lead Fyffe. She also had two steals and one blocked shot. Maggie Woodall added 10 points, three assists and three steals, and Madison Myers had six points and four steals. The Red Devils were 4-of-14 from the 3-point arc but shot only 5-of-14 at the foul line.

Alaysia Norfleet led R.C. Hatch with 11 points and seven rebounds before fouling out late. Zakiyah Tubbs added 10 points, Kiaundra Dudley had eight and Brianna Patterson had six points and eight rebounds. She also had four steals.