Jaloni Cambridge, one of nation's top sophomores, delivers on promise to help Ensworth seniors win state title
COOKEVILLE – Jaloni Cambridge looked over at her senior teammates Saturday.
That's when the tears began to flow — about 30 minutes after Ensworth had knocked off Lipscomb Academy 70-46 at Tennessee Tech's Hooper Emblen Center.
"I've grown up with them," Cambridge said. "I've been playing with them since, um ... "
The emotion took over the Ensworth sophomore guard. Her older sister — senior Kennedy Cambridge — looked away to keep from tearing up as the reality hit home.
This dominant team had played its last game together.
"I've played with them ever since we were younger," Jaloni continued. "I love them so much. Off the court they are top funniest people by far."
"I'm No. 1," Kennedy interjected.
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Ensworth (25-4) won the program's seventh state championship and third in four years. Jaloni, a sophomore, claimed her second title. The first came in 2020 as an eighth grader where she was a starter along with Kennedy, who had sat out her freshman year at Ensworth after transferring from Franklin Road Academy.
Now, the Cambridge sisters were playing their final game together and lifting another gold championship ball.
Ensworth's win was its 20th straight. The Lady Tigers didn't lose to a Tennessee program all season. Their last loss came Dec. 30 in a holiday tournament in Florida.
It was the final game for five seniors, including Kamil Collier and Jayda Woods, who were all-tournament selections with Kennedy.
Jaloni, who is a DII-AA Miss Basketball finalist and No. 2 player in the country for the Class of 2024, was the tournament MVP and finished with 19 points on 9-of-16 shooting with seven rebounds.
"I made a promise. I promised my seniors I was going to get them a state championship," Jaloni said.
She felt guilty a year ago after not being able to play in a state semifinal overtime loss to Hutchison, the eventual state champion. Jaloni had suffered an elbow injury earlier.
Kennedy, who is also a Miss Basketball finalist, took the blame for last season's loss.
"You know, I felt like last year in that last game it was my fault that we lost," Kennedy said. "I know everybody misses shots. But we needed a leader on that team, and I wasn't that. This year I stepped. We got in and we worked and I think I was the leader on this team."
Kennedy and Collier were just as spectacular on the court against Lipscomb Academy, which were playing Ensworth for the fourth time this season.
Kennedy scored a game-high 21 points with 11 rebounds, five assists and five blocks. Collier, a Lipscomb University signee, added 16 points, 10 rebounds and five blocks.
The loss for Lipscomb Academy (21-12) came in its first state championship game since 1986 when the Lady Mustangs won the Division I Class AA title and it was 11 years since reaching the state tournament.
Mallye Merritt and Ella Grace Thompson helped lead a close-knit group that bought into second-year coach Becky Starks' style of coaching. They played together on a team where no one entered the tournament averaging over 10 points a game.
"I think we'll always be disappointed with not being able to bring home the gold, but we'll always remember the memories," Thompson said. "These are girls that will be in my wedding. These are friendships that last a lifetime.
"I'm just getting overwhelmed by how much this team and this program means to me."
Reach Tom Kreager at 615-259-8089 or tkreager@tennessean.com and on Twitter @Kreager.
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Jaloni Cambridge, Kennedy Cambridge lead Ensworth girls to TSSAA title
