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'She’s special': Jaloni Cambridge continues to impress OSU staff, including Jacy Sheldon
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- 'She’s special': Jaloni Cambridge continues to impress OSU staff, including Jacy Sheldon
Ohio State freshman Jaloni Cambridge has already had several memorable moments three games into her collegiate career.
She was the only underclassman to start for the Buckeyes in the season opener. Proving she earned the spot, she dropped a team-high 31 points.
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Against Charlotte, Cambridge fell hard on her lower back after she was fouled on a fast break, sidelining her for nearly the entire second half. The injury was minor and Cambridge returned to face Belmont, hitting the game-winning basket with 13 seconds remaining.
"She's obviously got great talent," Ohio State coach Kevin McGuff said. "I know that she's young and inexperienced, but she's also got something about her that really puts her in a position to make plays like that."
"I know I’m a fast player," Ohio State's Jaloni Cambridge said, "but ... I really am proud of myself for slowing down because it really opens the floor."
Following the 67-63 victory, McGuff confirmed the play was designed to give Cambridge a one-on-one opportunity as time ran down.
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When asked about being trusted in such a high-pressure situation despite her youth, Cambridge insisted "any of us could have done that."
She was still grateful the plan called for her to have the ball in her hands.
"We worked on that stuff, in practice, the whole summer leading up to this. Even in the fall, we work this," Cambridge said. "The fact that everyone on my team believed in me, I proved out there that if I need to get a bucket, that I can."
How Jacy Sheldon feels about Jaloni Cambridge taking over at point guard for Ohio State
From the moment Cambridge committed to Ohio State, expectations were high.
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ESPN's No. 2 recruit from the Class of 2024, Cambridge joined the program with a resume that included being named a McDonald's All-American and a finalist for Gatorade's Player of the Year award .
Ohio State Buckeyes guard Jaloni Cambridge (22) shoots over Charlotte 49ers guard Alexis Andrews (4) during the first half of the NCAA women's basketball game at Value City Arena on Tuesday, Nov. 12, 2024.
With point guard Jacy Sheldon departing after her stellar five-year career, there was an immediate need for Cambridge to step in.
"We lost Jacy, but I feel like Jaloni is perfectly capable of filling that role that Jacy had and really leading this team in the right direction," Ohio State forward Cotie McMahon said. "She's very quick, very skilled, very smart at her age."
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Nearly a week after Ohio State's first game of the season, the program announced the addition of Sheldon to its staff as the director of player development.
The hire gives Cambridge the opportunity to learn Ohio State's system, both on and off the court, from the player she is essentially replacing at the point guard position.
"She's new, she's a freshman," Sheldon said, "so I think (she's) just picking up on those things even quicker, and she's already picked up on so much. But the press is something I love to do while I was here, but it did take a minute to learn everything that we do."
Former Ohio State Buckeye Jacy Sheldon talks about her return to the university as part of Kevin McGuff's women's basketball coaching staff during a press conference at Value City Arena on Monday, Nov. 11, 2024. Sheldon was initially planning on spending her WNBA offseason playing professionally in Australia before suffering an injury.
What impresses Sheldon most about Cambridge is the freshman's speed. It is the same quality Sheldon was best known for during her time with the Buckeyes and which enabled her to become the No. 5 overall pick in the 2024 WNBA draft .
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Cambridge could be on a similar trajectory.
"She's special," Sheldon said. "You guys already see what she's about, and she's got so much more potential too. She's only going to continue to get better every day, but an amazing player. I think her speed is something that makes her so good, and able to be that fast and to stop on a dime, very few players can do that."
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Jacy Sheldon on Ohio State women's basketball freshman Jaloni Cambridge
