Jaloni Cambridge showed why she’s one of the top players in the 2024 recruiting class on Friday.
The Ohio State signee scored 33 points to lead No. 4 seed Montverde Academy to a 79-78 comeback win over No. 1 seed in the Long Island Lutheran in the High School Nationals semifinals, capping off her standout performance with a game-winner.
UNBELIEVABLE#OhioState #Buckeyes signee G Jaloni Cambridge (@JaloniCambridge) hits the game winning shot with 2 seconds left in the game to send #MontverdeAcademy to the finals @MVAGBB @CoachMcGuff | #ChipotleNationals pic.twitter.com/gGyvVRbMa2
— Sleeper Athletes Ladies Basketball (@SAthletesLBB) April 5, 2024
Cambridge’s buzzer-beater was one of multiple baskets she scored in the final 10 seconds of the game to propel Montverde to a victory in a game in which it trailed by as many as 15 points in the third quarter.
.@JaloniCambridge with the CLUTCH runner to give No. 4 @MVAGBB the 77-76 lead over No. 1 @LuHiGBasketball.
— SportsCenter NEXT (@SCNext) April 5, 2024
9.7 seconds left in regulation at #ChipotleNationals!
Tune in or ESPNU! pic.twitter.com/jq9f7TUuHF
Cambridge also had 11 assists in Montverde’s victory, propelling the Eagles to their third straight national championship game. The Eagles will face No. 3 seed IMG Academy in the national championship game, which will be televised by ESPN, at 10 a.m. Saturday. (Update: Montverde Academy defeated IMG Academy, 61-53, in Saturday’s national championship game. Cambridge scored 17 points, dished out nine assists and grabbed six rebounds despite suffering a shoulder injury during the game.)
Cambridge’s 33-point performance in the semifinals came after she posted a triple double of 19 points, 14 rebounds and 12 assists in Montverde’s opening-round 65-49 win over Sidwell Friends School on Thursday.
.@OhioStateWBB bound Jaloni Cambridge stuffed the stat sheet during Montverdes 65-49 victory vs. Sidwell Friends in the #ChipotleNationals quarterfinal
— SportsCenter NEXT (@SCNext) April 4, 2024
-19 points
-14 rebounds
-12 assists@JaloniCambridge | @MVAGBB pic.twitter.com/Ac1XGmYWwx
Cambridge, a finalist for the Gatorade National Girls Basketball Player of the Year and the Naismith High School Girls’ Player of the Year awards, is ranked by ESPN as the No. 3 overall prospect in the 2024 recruiting class. She projects as a potential immediate starting guard for the Buckeyes in 2024-25 as Ohio State replaces its starting backcourt of Jacy Sheldon and Celeste Taylor from this past season.
